


To Kill A Dragon

by PBWritesStuff



Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: Basically everyone's here - Freeform, F/F, M/M, Multi, it's a series rewrite
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-02
Updated: 2018-12-02
Packaged: 2019-09-05 17:41:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 47
Words: 123,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16815406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PBWritesStuff/pseuds/PBWritesStuff
Summary: Life on the Isle of the lost is hard, but the core four are well adapted to it, thanks to the beatings and the constant struggle for survival. Their parents won't help them. Auradon won't help them. So these kids are going to have to help themselves, starting with a hostile takeover.Series rewrite, Dark AU. Now complete!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Takes equally from the books and movies. Some villains are canon, others OC. In this chapter, Jay is ten, Mal and Evie are seven, and Carlos is five.
> 
> If anyone cares, Gilda is the daughter of that witch from Hansel and Gretel. Also, in the books, Horace's son is nicknamed Harry, but I like Harry Hook, and thought Harold sounded better.

"Leave, now, Grimmhilde! And never let me see you again!" Maleficent snarled at the other woman, whose child cowered behind her in fear.

"You already rule the island, you old whore!" The evil queen had shouted in return, with a horrible scowl marring her once-beautiful features. "What more do you want to take from me!?"

"You should be grateful I'm not taking your very life!" Maleficent roared, and it was all Mal could do to stand her ground, even though she knew her mother's rage was directed at the Evil Queen, not her.

"Come along, Genevieve!" Grimmhilde finally exclaimed, indignantly, as she grabbed her child's wrist and practically dragged her out the door. Mal nearly seethed with embarrassment. How was she going to find allies of her own, if mother scared away all the other villains?

"Mother! Evie and I were getting along!" Mal exclaimed. She expected the backhand that followed, but it was worth the glimpse into her mother's mindset. She listened closely, even as she saw stars and tried not to grimace.

"The Evil Queen dared to challenge me for leadership, and it wasn't the first time, either." Maleficent growled, leaning in too close for the girl's comfort. "I exiled the old hag, to teach her a lesson. Maybe growing up all alone will teach her brat some respect, too."

Alright, next question.

"What's a whore?" Mal asked with a raised eyebrow. She braced herself for another strike, but it never came. Maleficent looked at her daughter with something like amusement, as if she wasn't expecting that line of inquiry from a seven year old.

"That's a rude word for a woman who is beautiful, and uses her body to get what she wants." Maleficent sneered, with half a smile, as if it was an inside joke she found somewhat funny, but not quite funny enough to share. Mal wrinkled her eyebrows in thought. Why was that an insult? A woman who knew her beauty and used it to advantage was smart, and even Mal knew that.

"It's an insult because it implies a woman needs something from a man," The Mistress of All Evil commented, as if reading Mal's mind. "The only thing a woman needs from a man is a baby."

In some ways, that made sense, because Mal knew her mother hated to rely on others, and men most of all. But it raised new questions too: Mal herself had been a baby once, hadn't she? Did that mean Maleficent had gotten her from a man? Was that why she seemed to hate the child so much? Because she was a symbol of Maleficent's weakness?

The seven year old girl was onto something very important, but her line of thought was interrupted by a steely glare.

"That is the last I want to hear of this discussion." Maleficent growled, and Mal swallowed back her defiance and her questions. Not because she wanted to, of course, but because she had some survival instinct to avoid angering the woman who had spawned her.

"Yes, Mother." She replied docilely, just as she expected her mother wanted. (Always polite to Maleficent, holy terror to everyone else).

"Good." The woman replied, then gripped Mal's shoulder, hard enough to leave a bruise, just to make a point about her next statement:

"If I hear another word about this discussion, in any way, shape, or form; I will beat you within an inch of your life, and then throw you in the dungeon for the rats!"

Mal only nodded, eyes wide with fear. She'd seen the dungeons before, she knew how big the rats were, and what they would do with a little girl who was too beaten to defend herself. Maleficent saw her fear, and smirked at it, before glaring again at her wayward daughter.

"Quit sniveling and go somewhere I can't see you." She hissed, and Mal was quick to comply.

• • •

Across the island, was a crumbling old house, known by it's residents as Hell Hall. It wasn't the original manor - that place had been demolished a long time ago, torn down to erase the memories of what had happened there, and what had happened to the insane woman who owned it. It was close enough though, with the Dalmatian statues on the front porch, and stone pillars that were almost assuredly fake. The house that reeked of former glory wasn't fooling anyone, except the old woman who lived there, and that was fine, because everyone knew not to mess with Cruella DeVil.

Because of his mother's reputation, Carlos was able to obtain things that others couldn't. For one thing, his mother still had her henchmen, Horace and Jasper. That meant that their sons Harold and Jace were extra muscle for Carlos to fall back on when he stole things from the barge. Since there were still servants around to do Hell Hall's brunt work, Carlos' chores mainly consisted of cleaning the fragile things that Horace and Jasper couldn't be trusted with, like Cruella's car and her furs.

Because he wasn't constantly being used as a slave like some other children on the island, he had a lot more time for his inventions, which brought in extra money that Cruella didn't know about.

That didn't mean, of course, that his life was an Auradonian fairytale, or a rose tinted adventure. Cruella wasn't so named for her kindness, and Carlos was often the target of her abuse. The woman was a terrible drunkard, and crazy. Currently, Carlos was hiding from her after she'd thrown a bottle at his head and told him to stay out. She'd said that before, plenty of times, and even though Cruella acted like she couldn't stand the sight of him, she always sent one of her minions to get him back, once her anger had cooled and she remembered she needed him to fluff her furs.

It was, at least, a decently good morning. The sun never shone on the island, thanks to the barrier, but it wasn't raining, at least. It wasn't a barge day either, so there was no need to rush to the docks. Carlos just took his time, and kept an eye on his surroundings, picking up little things as he went along. Tinfoil that might be useless to someone else, could make or break one of his inventions, and he kept an eye out as he moved through the market place.

He was a good thief, but preferred trading over stealing. He'd have to guard his catch anyway, and it was easier if he didn't have the shopkeeper AND the other street kids after him. Currently, Carlos had a (zipped) pocketful of half-cigarettes that he had stolen from his mother, which could be worth something to someone here. Nicotine was a powerfully addictive drug, after all, and hard to come by.

The market had a stall for just about everything that came in on the barges, and they were cobbled together out of driftwood and corrugated tin. One stall had bread (with the mold cut off to make it look fresher), and one had fabric, ribbons, drapes and the like. One stall had nothing but cans that came from Auradon.

When shopkeepers brought their hired muscle to the barges, they snatched all the food donations they could get, and whatever garbage bags they could get their hands on. Back home, the garbage would be sorted. Anything the shopkeepers didn't want, but wouldn't sell, was traded off for something they could. In that way, Carlos was sort of glad he had Harold and Jace. It was easier to get a better haul with more hands to shove, and grab.

As he scanned the crowd around him, he saw a boy in an alley, who looked to be about ten or eleven. Carlos was much younger, and much smaller, but he was probably fast enough to get away if he wanted to. More importantly, the boy was smoking a cigarette, which meant he would likely be willing to buy some. Risk and reward evaluated, Carlos decided to approach. He walked up slowly, and gave the boy plenty of time to see him. This was a business deal, not a shakedown.

"You smoke?" The DeVil boy asked casually.

"What's to ye?" The other boy asked, in what could be called a Scottish accent. Carlos knew him as one of the pirate kids.

"I have some cigs. How much would you pay for em?" Carlos pushed, staying wary, in case he had to bolt. The older boy laughed heartily.

"And just what stops me from takin' em' boy?" He asked, in a half-joking, half-threatening way. Carlos knew better than to be intimidated.

"I'm fast, and I've got a knife, that's why." Carlos replied, simply, coldly, and the pirate nodded solemnly in reply.

"A'ight. How many you got, kid?" He asked with an appraising eye.

"Five half-smoked and one new." Carlos answered.

"I'll give ye a pence a piece." The pirate smirked, and Carlos growled.

"Sixpence."

"Fine," the older boy huffed. "But if ye tell a soul, I'll slit yer throat."

The exchange was made, and to Carlos' great surprise, the pirate boy didn't chase him down to retrieve his money afterwards. Just watched, from his alley, with dark eyes and a lopsided smile.

• • •

When the villains were exiled, no one had really expected them to create their own form of currency. The Auradon royals had never bothered to take the money from the villains they banished, because what use was money when all your food came spoiled off the barges? Thus the villains had decided on a central currency based on the coins that came over with them from Auradon.

Jay, son of Jafar, financial consultant for the Junk Shop, had studied this system from the moment he could count.

The little copper coins with the queenly face on them were from Charmington, and the islanders called them 'pence', whatever the original name was. The slightly bigger copper coins were from Agrabah, engraved with a crescent moon. Jay's father brought a lot of these when he was exiled, and on the Isle, they called them 'tenpence'. The silver coins with the owl were from Camelot, and worth twenty pence. They were called 'pieces', and eight of them made an Auradonian dollar. (that had been Captain Hook's idea, something about pieces of eight.) Finally, the gold pieces that floated around the isle were called dollars. They represented as much as an Auradonian dollar, but originally came from the Moorland, Maleficent's territory.

In Auradon, they used actual, paper bills, but most villains still used coins on the isle, if only because they couldn't count on flimsy bills to hold up for the entire length of banishment. Some of these villains were very old, and their treasure troves had been created before the use of bills was even invented. Thus, coins and barter were the way of the island. Jay recalled that story of the coins' origins every time he stole one, and added it to the collection that jingled in his pockets.

Today, he passed through the market place, watching for easy marks to pickpocket. Gilda (daughter of some witch or other) was working at the stationary stand, and Jay caught the glint of a new bracelet on her wrist. It was amazing how much paper the Auradon people wasted, so Gilda's stand was never empty.

"Morning, G, looking lovely, as usual!" Jay purred as he approached, pretending to peruse the half-used notebooks, and diaries with pages torn out, and reams of water-stained notebook paper.

"I know your tricks, Jay, and they aren't working today." Gilda smirked in reply, and Jay pretend to look hurt.

"You wound me! I'm just an honest customer!" The Agrabah boy exclaimed, picking up a half-empty ink pen. "How much for this?"

"Two pence, thief." Gilda replied, and held out her hand. He placed his hand on top of hers, then spun it around, and flirtatiously kissed her knuckles, as her hand closed around the coins.

"See you around, G." Jay whispered with a smirk, and darted off.

Gilda was so surprised and flustered, that he was long gone before she realized the two coins were fake. A frustrated scream echoed through the marketplace once she realized the thief had gotten away with two pens and her new bracelet (and probably her heart).

Next stop was Dr. Facilier's store. While the doctor himself was often working at Dragon Hall (The closest thing the island had to a school), his daughter Freddie ran the shop. This time, for once, Jay didn't plan on stealing anything. He'd tried it once, and still had nightmares about the attempt. While MOST magic on the isle was stifled, some types were easier to control through the barrier. The Shadowman's magic was closely related to the dead, and there was no shortage of bodies on the isle.

"Mornin' Freddie." Jay called as the bell over the door signalled his arrival.

"Shouldn't you be in school?" The girl replied, flipping through a magazine.

"Shouldn't you?" He snapped back, and the girl turned to face him with a glare.

"If you're gonna be rude, I won't help you." She stated simply. They may be an island of villains, but to a family as strong as this one, it was good to offer a little respect, if only out of fear.

"So what can I help you with?" She smirked. "Healing potion?"

Jay made a face. It was her most commonly sold item on the island without a hospital.

"No. I need something specific. I need a poison." Jay swallowed, even though he knew Freddie could keep a secret. Her business depended on it. "And I need it to look like an accident."

A smile worked it's way across the girl's face. It looked wrong, it looked terrifying, and even Jay was intimidated by it. The only way to describe that unsettling smile in words, would be to suggest that glass could smile, and combine that mental image with the sound of nails on a chalkboard.

"I can do it for you, but the price is high." She purred, truly in her element now.

"How much?" Jay felt the fresh cuts on his back as they itched and burned. He was willing to pay the price. He would pay whatever it took to get the old man to stop beating him.

"A life for a life, Jay. That's the trade off." Freddie replied, in a solemn voice that clashed with her unnerving smile. "I need a fresh body. Someone who's died within twenty-four hours, the fresher the better."

Jay thought about that for a moment. To get a stiff that fresh, he'd probably have to kill the guy himself. Shouldn't be too hard, Jay thought to himself. Jafar sent the boy to kill his enemies every other month. One more wouldn't hurt.

"It can't be that easy." Jay glared, daring Freddie to add her next price.

"Ain't you a smart one?" The voodoo girl laughed, and finally sighed, looking to Jay with playful eyes. "A life for a life, and ten years of service, honey."

Ten years of service after he was dead, of course. That was how Facilier's deals worked: You made her a deal, and she gave you a wish, and then when you died... You became one of her friends on the other side.

It was too high a price to pay.

• • •

In the castle across the way, a young girl sat, staring into her mirror, and practicing her makeup by candlelight. When she heard a knock at her window, she didn't flinch, although she did look up in the mirror and see a purple-haired child out there, hanging onto the castle's bricks. It was Maleficent's girl, and Evie couldn't decide whether to hate her because that kid's mother banished her, or be fascinated, because she cared enough to come visit.

Finally, Evie decided that a true princess should not leave her guests waiting, so she unlocked her bedroom window and glared.

"What do you want? Haven't you and your mother done enough today?" She asked in a whisper-yell, afraid to wake her own mother.

"Actually, I hate that mom sent you away." Mal announced, before grinning proudly. "So I came to visit, out of spite."

"Oh. Well come inside then." Evie stepped back to let Mal roll in, before she curtsied in welcome. From her curtsying position, she saw a blue ribbon poking out from the other girl's pocket. Sure enough, it was a blue silk ribbon, only slightly stained, and Evie examined it in awe, once Mal handed it over.

"What do you want in return?" Evie asked, knowing in her heart that she wanted this ribbon, very badly. She also asked, in the common knowledge that nothing on the isle was free.

"A promise." Mal replied. "When we're older, I'm gonna make a gang, and I want you to be a part of it."

"Why me?" Evie asked, incredulous. "All I can do is sew."

"Besides spiting my mother?" Mal grinned, before she got serious again, as serious as a seven year old could be.

"You're the prettiest girl I've ever seen." Mal whispered, and Evie's heart fluttered a little. Isn't that what princes always said in the story books? No one had ever given her a compliment before, and never one spoken with such sincere honesty and awe.

"One day, you'll be beautiful. My mother said that beautiful women can use men to get what they want." Mal glanced out the window, at the rising moon. "That sounds like a talent I can use."

"Alright, Mal." Evie decided, looking the other girl right in the eyes as she spoke.

"I'm in."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Takes place five years later. Jay is now fifteen, Evie and Mal are twelve, and Carlos is ten. Just as a world building note: in this au, the villains weren't brought back to life just to be put on the isle. That honestly kills my suspension of disbelief more than any of the Disney bullshit.
> 
> I figure that the villains who ended up on the isle somehow magically survived to come back for revenge, as villains tend to do. Hence, there isn't any weird magic woven into the barrier that keeps people from dying (because if they could do that, couldn't they keep villains from getting pregnant?)
> 
> Chapter Contains: Implied Isle Nastiness

Mal liked her relationship with Evie, because it was easy to define, and simple to understand. They worked well together, tag teaming merchants and darting in to steal from the barges. She could trust Evie enough to turn her back, and sort of enjoyed her company. They were companions and allies (friends, the Auradonians might say) in a mutually beneficial relationship.

Mal's relationship with that no-good street-rat son of a whore Jay was a different story.

They were rivals from the first day the older boy snatched her dragon pendant. From that moment, it was on. She'd chased him down, despite his longer legs, and managed to stab him hard enough to get her necklace back. She lost her knife that day, but retrieved her pendant, and they had hated each other ever since. Every time she stole from a market stall, Jay was there first. She admired his skill, but at the same time hated him for it. They would be such better allies than enemies, but Mal felt like she would rather die before she let that happen.

As a result, Mal was starting to stay away from the market stalls. She was a little spitfire when she had to be, but with Evie's help, it was easier to knock off stores. The blue-haired princess would charm the cashier into showing her something on the other side of the store, while Mal darted in and made out like a bandit. This way, they could hit the same store a couple times before anyone caught on to their scam. It was a good system, and even if their mothers grounded them without meals, they'd still have food stashed away in their hideout for weeks.

Said hideout was in one of the last places anyone suspected: The graveyard where Dragon Hall was located, in an old mausoleum. Currently, it was important to lay low, to keep the door locked, to make sure they weren't followed, lest other children, or even adults find their hidden stash. One day though... Mal swore that one day, she would paint her "Long Live Evil" tag on the walls, and everyone would know it was hers, and fear it.

Even on the isle, there was an uptown and downtown. Mal and Evie lived in the relatively nicer uptown, which was only nicer because the powerful villains who made their homes in that district could afford real houses. Even the cinder-block Bargain Castle and the crumbling facade of Hell Hall were better than homes made of scraps, cobbled together with tin and driftwood, and tarps to keep out the rain. Downtown was an Evil-Forsaken pit, where the poorest lived on the scraps they fought so desperately for.

If uptown stank of magic and blood and territory, then downtown stank of poverty.

In this part of town, the streets were lined with clubs and bars, and some doors flickered with dim and broken red bulbs. On the one hand, it wasn't the kind of place for young children to be. On the other hand, Evie and Mal were experts at this by now, and when had age ever stopped them? The blue-haired princess was done up to the nines, and her mother taught her well, how to tempt desperate men like drowning sailors by the tender age of twelve. Mal was the same, but opposite. She couldn't lure men into an alley with the bat of her eyelashes... but she could use a burst of fae magic to put him to sleep, allowing Evie to drop her act, so they could rob him blind and leave him dazed in the streets.

"How much did you get off of that guy?" Mal asked, and Evie counted coins out of the fool's leather wallet as she sealed them into her own zippered pockets.

"Twenty dollars, M." Evie commented with a smirk, as they passed through downtown with a contemptuous strut, as if they were twelve years old and thought they ruled the island. And maybe they could, if they set their minds to it. Mal knew for a fact that her mother had never killed before, not once in her entire life. Instead of killing Sleeping Beauty and her family, stealing the throne she deserved, Maleficent put them to sleep for a little while and called it a day. Mal swore to never be that weak.

For a second matter, Mal knew her mother couldn't do magic. Obviously, she must have been able at one point, but with the barrier up, all magic was supposed to be blocked off. The girls knew from experience, that wasn't true. Evie could make potions and poisons better than anyone she knew, and Mal had access to minor fae spells and compulsions. That was better than _either_ of their mothers could do.

So they made their way out of downtown, and into the market stalls that bridged the gap with uptown, creating as much of a middle district as there could be on the isle. A commotion was drawing attention in the marketplace, and the girls couldn't help but be intrigued. A few of their stronger classmates seemed to be beating on a young boy with white hair. They approached the ruckus, while casually snatching things from shopkeepers who were distracted by the fight. Out of the corner of her eye, Mal saw her rival, Jay, also taking advantage of the distraction.

"Who is that?" Mal asked Evie, indicating the boy who seemed to be losing, despite his knife. "I don't recognize him from school."

"He's that inventor. The one who's always making and selling his devices."

"The DeVil boy?" Mal clarified, and her companion nodded in reply. Well that settled it. He was useful, and she wanted him. Giving Evie the signal, they both darted into the crowd. It seemed like the son of Clayton was leading the riot, flanked by two of Gaston's older boys.

"Hey, sweetheart?" Evie asked sweetly, tapping on Gaston Jr's shoulder as Mal did the same. Both boys turned to face the girls, and were met with a hard punch to the face, followed by a crotch-kick that left them down for the count. It was a dirty tactic, sure, but did they really expect villains to play fair?

"Two down, one to go!" Mal purred, advancing on Clay, who held a huge machete, but still wisely backed off. Knives were useless when it came to magic, and no one wanted to be the guy who brought a knife to a magic fight.

"Why do you care, Mal?" Clay asked with a sneer, and the girl growled right back at him.

"He's mine, you little bitch, and if you don't back off, I'll skin you alive!" The lavender haired girl learned one good thing from her mother: and that was how to properly threaten someone. Finally scared enough to back off, Clay kicked his Gaston Jr entourage awake, and managed to drag them off the scene.

Evie and Mal propped the boy up between them, and carried him into an alleyway, where he gazed at the two rescuers with a black eye and a bloody lip.

"Why?" Was the only broken question that passed between them, and Mal stepped forward to answer it, as the market settled back into routine.

"A little birdie told me you make inventions. We want a cut of the profit, in exchange for protection from assholes like Clay." Mal purred, and the boy (who was in fact, Carlos DeVil), frowned at her.

"Already got protection." He rasped.

"Uh huh. Fat lot of good it did you today." The purple girl replied, casually glancing at her nails.

Okay, so he'd had a bit of a falling out with Harold and Jace, and his business had suffered for it. That didn't mean he was ready to sell his soul to the daughter of Maleficent over it. Seeing that his mind was made up, Mal decided to sweeten the offer.

"Fine, fine. I see how it is. How about this: You guard our hideout. It's warm and dry, and you won't have to live with that crazy bitch Cruella any more."

Mal had been hoping for someone to stay at the mausoleum full-time while she and Evie were out causing trouble. It was a widely known fact that Cruella DeVil was off her rocker, and that her son hated his mother, possibly more than even they hated theirs. Carlos seemed to think about it for the moment.

"What's to say I don't just take your stash and run?" Carlos offered, not because he planned on it, but rather, because he wanted to know what was at stake.

"You do that, you won't have anywhere to run." Evie noted with a wicked smile, leaving Mal to make the closing argument.

"I'll find you, and turn you inside out."

It was a rather compelling argument.

For the most part, Carlos liked the mausoleum. It was dusty and small, but there were a lot of hidden compartments, and Mal was currently in the middle of turning the big stone coffin into a locked chest (she'd already sold the bones to Dr. Facilier). Once Carlos sent up his traps and alarms, the little hideout was pretty damn safe, too, and most of all: it was a good place to hide from Cruella and her henchmen, who were almost certainly hunting him now. Carlos saw what Mal and Evie had done to the Gaston brothers that day, and he had no doubt that they could do the same to Horace and Jasper, so maybe their protection was useful after all.

Carlos didn't talk much, and the advantage of being silent, was that people said secrets around him, assuming he either couldn't hear, or wouldn't understand. The DeVil boy made it his business to keep up-to-date on the isle's rumors, and there was a new one being whispered, that really caught his attention. A rumor about two witches: one as beautiful as any Auradon princess, and one as deadly as a serpent. Everywhere they went, death and destruction followed in their wake. Even now, Carlos could practically feel the winds of change, and he was confident that he'd chosen the winning side. Right now, they were just two witches and a prodigy, but they could be so much more, and if Mal's ambition was any indication, she knew it too.

"You're part of our little family now, okay?" Evie had told him, in a sweet voice, with a kiss on the cheek. "We're like your big sisters, so tell us if anyone hurts you."

And wasn't the thought of that appealing? A real family. Not just a mad mother in a crumbling house. Not the constant beatings and chores, and a closet full of bear traps, but two older sisters who would look out for him and make sure he was fed. Mal and Evie, who saved him and shared their roof, humble as it was.

His bed was made of an old child's mattress from the Auradon barge, which was about the same as he'd had at home, only slightly less worn out. Evie had sewn him a lovely comforter out of scrap fabric from torn shirts and dresses, and the only flaw was being a bit loud (she didn't have quilt batting, so she'd insulated it with shredded newspaper). When the nights got colder, he had a heavy old set of drapes to put on top of that, so he stayed warm.

It was on one such Autumn night, when the visitor arrived, the boy who would soon become the fourth member of their group. Mal had built a fire in an old oil drum, and it was warming up the mausoleum nicely. The light given off by the fire made shadows dance along the walls, and Carlos watched, transfixed, while Mal wrote in a journal, and Evie did some hand-sewing. That peaceful moment was broken, when the battery-powered proximity alarm went off. Both the girls were here, so it had to be a stranger outside.

Mal motioned for quiet, and Carlos turned off the alarm (it wasn't very loud anyway, not with the half-useless batteries they always got on the isle). A knock came at the door, and Mal peered out the peephole to see if it was one of their parents. The Evil Queen and Maleficent rarely ventured out this far, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

"Son of a bitch." Mal cursed, and threw open the door, revealing Jay, son of Jafar, whom she fixed with a steely glare. "What do you want, you little bastard?"

"Hey! No need for hostility, princess!" Jay exclaimed, putting his hands up to reveal that he wasn't holding a weapon. Not that he couldn't still be hiding one up his sleeve...

"Say what you want to say, or leave, street rat." Mal sighed.

"I need someone poisoned." Jay announced, and pointed to Evie, who sat beside the fire. "I know she can do it."

"Well, I can do it, for a price." Evie mused, setting aside her sewing, to stand beside Mal in the doorway.

"How much?" Jay asked, eyes full of hope.

"Depends on who you want me to kill." Evie replied, and only looked a little surprised at Jay's reply.

"My father."

"We don't kill big shots." Mal interrupted.

"Unless you give us a good reason _and_ good payment." Evie added, although Mal rolled her eyes at that, as if Jay couldn't possibly give both. In response, he turned around, and stripped his shirt off in one fluid motion, revealing lines and lines of criss-crossing scars and wounds across his back. Some were healing, some raw and angry, and some were nothing but pale white lines, the ghost of past beatings.

"Is this a good enough reason?" Jay asked casually, because he knew about Evie and Mal and Carlos, and knew who their parents were. He knew how they must be treated, and how much they wanted revenge. Here he was, offering a chance to kill an abusive and cruel man, who was so much like their own mothers. If Jay could get up the courage to kill his parent, why couldn't they?

"Fair enough." Mal commented, careful to keep her voice level and nonchalant. "What about payment?"

It was no mystery that Jay and Mal maintained a bitter rivalry. She saw a prime opportunity here, and knew exactly what she wanted the boy to say.

"I'll join your group. If you kill Jafar for me, I'll be loyal to you, Mal, and we won't have to fight anymore." Jay replied, turning to face them, and revealing a similar set of scars along his muscled chest. Jackpot. He was offering Mal an opportunity to make an ally out of an enemy, and bury the hatchet without appearing weak. How could she resist?

"Alright. It's a deal." Mal nodded, and glanced back at Evie for confirmation. She wouldn't force the girl to kill someone she didn't want to, but a simple glance told her that Evie wanted this just as much as she did.

"I'll need some ingredients." The blue-haired girl noted, thinking to herself. "Can you go get them, Mal? I want to work on an ointment for Jay's injuries."

"What do you need?" The leader asked with a smirk, still giddy that finally, finally, Jay was no longer an annoyance, but an asset. Evie scribbled out a list, and the purple-haired girl darted out of the crypt, slamming the door behind her.

"Why are you doing this?" Jay asked, as Evie directed him to lay on the flat-topped coffin they used as a table.

"You're a part of the group now, and we look out for our own." Evie replied. "That doesn't mean we care, or anything. It's just an investment. You won't be able to function as well, if you're hurt like this."

She approached her apothecary shelf (created from a group of wooden crates), and pulled down a half-empty jar of petroleum jelly and sun burn ointment. She also grabbed her mixing bowl, and a jar of clove oil that she'd created using the dregs of mostly-empty olive oil bottles that came over on the barge, and dried cloves that were expired for cooking use, but still potent enough for pharmaceuticals.

"How do I know you won't poison me?" Jay asked, mostly teasing, but clearly a bit concerned.

"I'll tell you what each ingredient is for, as I use it." Evie replied, as she spooned some petroleum jelly into the bowl. "This is the base for the ointment, by the way."

"Auradon sun burn lotion contains vitamin e and aloe, which helps heal your skin." Evie replied, squirting in some of the lotion. "Clove oil will help to numb the pain."

Carlos always liked to watch Evie work. She did the same thing with plants that he did with technology. She could pick up any old scrap of Auradon trash, and turn it into medicine or poison, without batting an eye. Currently, Carlos was working on a little something himself. He was trying to build a wind-powered generator. The wind always howled through the graveyard, and it would be useful to have actual electricity in the mausoleum. If Jay was joining the group, however, maybe he should just build the thing without hooking it up. He got the sense that they would be moving soon, to a place with more space for the four of them.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This chapter focuses a lot on the abuse suffered by the kids. I know Evie has a skewed perspective on mental abuse, but she's the one member of the core four I identify most with, and her relationship with her mother is the reason why.
> 
> If you were wondering, Cassandra is a character from the Tangled animated show. She has an adorable relationship with Rapunzel and Flynn.

Even with Jay's help, it took them a few months to get all the fruit Evie needed for her cyanide recipe. She had apple seeds, peach and apricot pits, and when she was certain they had enough to kill Jafar, she ground them up in a mortar and pestle, separating the liquid from the shells.

"Remember, you need to give this all in one serving." Evie said, as she placed the vial into Jay's ready hands. "It won't work as well if it gets diluted."

"Got it." The thief nodded in answer. "I plan to put it in his coffee tomorrow morning. That stuff from the Slop Shop tastes so awful that he won't even notice."

"And if by some miracle this isn't enough?" Mal asked, not because she doubted Evie's skill, but because it was always better to have a backup plan.

"Then I'll smother him while he's weak. That way it'll still look like an accident." Jay replied. That would never fly in Auradon, but on the Isle, there was no coroner or morgue. Who was to say Jafar didn't have a heart attack or stroke, or die in his sleep? Thanks to disease on the island, it wasn't an uncommon fate.

"Lucky you." Mal retorted. "Some of us still have to go home and face our parents."

Everyone looked to Mal with various degrees of solidarity. They all knew what it was like to be mistreated like a servant in your own home. Hell, Carlos ran away from it, and Jay was pushed to the point of murder to escape his father's grasp. For the first time since her birth, Mal was seriously contemplating the thought of murdering her mother. Everyone on the Isle probably thought about it at one point or another, unless their parents were a rarer type of villain, who protected their children and cursed everyone else.

For the first time though, Mal wasn't just wishing her mother was gone, as she made the long trek home, nursing the bruises on her wrists and throat. No, for the first time, she was actually thinking about logistics.

Maleficent was strong, gifted with the kind of strength that all powerful fae bloodlines were blessed with. The old hag had proven it often enough when she choked Mal within an inch of her life, or flung her across the room. In a fair fight, there was no way the daughter could win. She knew from experience that the fire in her blood burned away most poisons with nothing but a brief period of agony. If she, a half human had that immunity, no poison on earth could harm her mother.

Mal's mind turned over her advantages. One thing she had going was the fact that she could do magic, and her mother could not. She didn't know if it was a flaw in the barrier, or some other unknown force, but it never occurred to Mal that she might be stronger than her mother. After a lifetime of being cut down and told she wasn't good enough, she hadn't yet realized the truth: Mal Bertha was more powerful than her mother ever realized, and the barrier was the only thing keeping her from realizing it. That said, Mal had one more great advantage: at the young age of thirteen, she had already killed, something which Maleficent had never truly accomplished.

She kept those advantages in mind, as she dreaded the beating she would receive when she got home.

• • •

Evie had always felt a little guilty when her teammates talked about the abuses they suffered at the hands of their parents, because the Evil Queen never actually hit her daughter. That might have only been because she thought bruises were ugly, but the fact remained, she had only ever slapped Evie once or twice, in a rage. One of their school teachers (Yen Sid, the old wizard) insisted that Grimmhilde's constant judgement and put downs were just another kind of abuse, but Evie had a hard time seeing it that way.

After all, how could she compare hours of posture practice to Jay, whose back held the proof from years of lashings, or Mal, who had new bruises each week. How could hours of doting attention (criticism) from her mother compare to Carlos, who still bore the cigarette burns from his?

But as much as she disliked trying to consolidate her childhood with the picture of abuse, Evie trusted Yen Sid, like most of the Isle kids did. He was the one authority figure who didn't berate them or send them to detention at the first sign of trouble. He respected his students, and they usually respected him in return. It didn't hurt that he was from Auradon, and had chosen to come to the Isle. Evie could barely wrap her head around that, the thought that someone could be so close to freedom, guaranteed an easy life, and still choose the pit? He was a kind old man, kinder than the isle deserved, so when he told Evie that her mother was wrong, a small part of her believed him.

But fully accepting it, truly believing him, would mean that her entire worldview changed, and that was a scary thought.

"Genevieve, darling, your hair is a mess." Grimmhilde commented, as her daughter entered the castle.

"I'm sorry, mother. I hadn't noticed." Evie replied, quickly running a hand through her curly locks.

"You never do, do you?" Grimmhilde chided, frowning deeply. "I didn't spend the last thirteen years grooming you to be an ideal wife for you to come home looking like a slut."

"I'm sorry, mother." Evie repeated, feeling the blush run into her face. She didn't bother telling her mother that she hadn't done anything more than kiss (and not even a boy, at that - Evie's first kiss was with Mal). It wasn't worth the argument and lecture.

"I worked on my cyanide formula today." Evie noted, and was rewarded by a faint smile from her mother.

"Oh? Did you have a target?" Grimmhilde asked off hand, as if Evie would really confess to poisoning Jafar.

"Not really, just practicing the formula. It would be handy to have, any how." She lied. And the lying came easier than it used to. Each day of manipulation made her a little better.

"Foolish girl. I would never waste resources without a purpose." The Evil Queen scoffed.

"Mother!" Evie exclaimed. "Powdered cyanide lasts for months if kept properly! It wasn't a waste."

"Don't sass me, Genevieve." The woman responded lowly, in a voice that was more a threat than anything. "You don't want to go without dinner again, do you?"

Evie reluctantly bit her tongue.

• • •

If there was one thing Carlos DeVil was good at (besides inventing and negotiating, and manipulating people) it was organizing things. It was his job to stay behind and sort the things they'd snatched from the barges while the others reported to their parents.

This month was a good haul, too. Auradon separated their trash into two categories: food stuffs and other garbage. The barges carried a good deal of near-expired groceries, but the bags were the real treasure, with a lot of useful things to scavenge. Out of the trash bags Carlos was examining, this had to be the best haul in a while. There was an almost-empty bottle of honey, which the Auradonians had clearly thought was plastic garbage. They couldn't have known that Evie had wanted some for months, to complete her moisturizing face cream. A half-used notebook that had only been used for school homework. Carlos needed a new schematics book, so he claimed it for his own. A sweater with a hole in it, a book that had minor water damage, and an Auradon fashion magazine, all valuable commodities.

Despite King Beast's insistence that his citizens should sort their leftovers for the isle, some things inevitably crossed over. Carlos set aside a couple used tea bags that really shouldn't have been in the non-food garbage. From the smell of it, it was chamomile. Evie sometimes used that herb in her concoctions, and Jay liked to smoke it on occasion. He would have all the more reason to do so when he returned this evening, after having killed Jafar. In a matter of minutes, all the garbage had been sorted, into piles to keep or barter. Carlos took the items he wanted, and left the rest for the others to pick through.

Sometimes, Carlos found himself wondering what life was like in Auradon. This was considered a good day, by Isle standards. He and Jay and the girls had enough food to fill their bellies for once, and Jay was developing quite the talent for cooking their scraps in new and exciting ways that made them seem more like actual food. They'd gotten a good haul of half-used items and things that they could repurpose, so what was life like on Auradon? What did the soft and cowardly princes consider to be a good day?

• • •

King Adam had long ago decided that he was not going to go along with Belle's suggestion to let Ben take the throne at sixteen. Because who the hell lets a sixteen year old make any decision worth making, before their frontal lobe is developed? Belle had argued that she was sixteen when they met, and she had had plenty of sense enough to do what needed to be done. Beast did not bother reminding her that as a sixteen year old, she had willingly followed her father into a dark forest, and, traded her life to a literal beast.

The situation stood though, and Adam was not letting his son become king, at least until he'd finished highschool.

Ben was such a good child, and a good boyfriend, and a good prince - but his father wondered if the boy (his pride and joy) could really be a good king. He was naive and hapless, and all of Belle's kindness with none of her prudence. He had moved into Auradon Prep this year, and jumped at the chance to be closer to Audrey. They weren't betrothed, per se (because the Beast and his Queen knew the value of true love) but both families had gotten the heirs acquainted with each other from an early age, and had basically set the two up for an eventual marriage.

Speaking of true love, Adam felt a twinge of annoyance that every other council meeting had been dominated by the definition of that nebulous emotion. It was the battle between old kingdoms and new kingdoms that had defined his reign from Auradon's very inception. Aurora and Phillip were a traditional family, and Cinderella and Charming were inclined to agree, as was the Snow household. The newer kingdoms didn't care as much about tradition, and said in no uncertain terms that their children could fall in love with whomever they damn well pleased.

The Noble Li family from China was one of the most adamant supporters of King Adam's new marriage laws, as it was a well known fact that General Shang fell in love with Mulan before he knew she was a woman. Ariel and Eric were on the fence, because they were an open minded couple, but their constituency was another story.

To stay true to one's heart or to one's people? It was a question Adam found himself asking more and more often, these days.

"I, King Adam, of Noble House Beast, hereby call this council to order." The king announced, lightly tapping a gavel on the table in front of him. "First order of business: the vote on the amendment to the nation's marriage laws, as proposed in last month's meeting. Does anyone wish to take the floor?"

"I do, your highness." Tiana announced, rising from her seat, before giving a quick bow. "

With all due respect, love is the most sacred emotion we as human beings (and enchanted frogs) -" this comment was met with chuckles "- Can experience. Which of our stories haven't been touched by love, hmm? If it wasn't for Naveen and our love for each other, I would still be trapped. Financially. Magically. Thanks to love, our story had a happy ending. Are we to deny our children that chance?"

"With all due respect," Prince Charming noted, in a tone that was just a bit too snappy for politeness, "Some of us believe that sexual relations between two persons of the same gender isn't love. It's unnatural."

"Who said it had to be sexual? What about romance?" Ariel mused aloud.

"True love between two men or two women is a myth, plain and simple." Frederick announced, holding Snow close.

"Either way, we shouldn't encourage it." Aurora added her opinion to the mix. "There haven't been enough studies. How do we know the damage homosexuality could have on young minds?" She whispered the word like a shameful thing, like she was ashamed she had even mentioned it.

"Why do we need studies?" Eugene Fitzherbert exclaimed. "It's just love!"

"As expected from the former criminal." Prince Phillip replied flippantly.

"I take offense at that remark!" Aladdin replied back with a smirk.

Eugene's speech reminded Rapunzel of her brave and loyal handmaiden, Cassandra, whom she and Flynn loved as much as they loved each other. If Rapunzel was the sun of Corona, then her husband was the moon, and Cass was the stars. They didn't mention her by name, because if same-gender marriage was frowned upon, polyamory was unheard of.

"Can we really stop new generations from finding love, just because some believe differently? Love is the most powerful force there is. I know from experience." That comment had come from Elsa of Arrendell.

Beast had realized by now, they were getting into the same old circular argument that had defined months of deliberation. Finally, he made a new proposal.

"How about this. Each province of Auradon comes up with their own laws pertaining to marriage, and given that I hold the capital region, I shall decide what happens within my borders. Is that satisfactory?" Adam practically snarled, and to his surprise, almost everyone nodded. He put the motion to a vote, and for the first time in months, they had finally gotten something done.

No matter what their parents did, at least Adam would have the chance to broaden the thoughts of these children once they reached Auradon Prep.

It never occurred to him, to apply that logic to the children on the isle.

On the way out of the meeting, Elsa approached her distant cousin from Corona, and put a cold but gentle hand on Rapunzel's shoulder. It was the first time they had spoken, since they'd met at her parent's funeral.

"Listen, Rapunzel. I want to say... I'm sorry I haven't been there for you. I should be a worthy and noble ruler, and I can't do that if I isolate my family, no matter how distant." Elsa explained. She added her next words, before turning to leave. "I understand if you don't want to get to know each other. After all, I was almost the villain of my own story."

"Wait!" Rapunzel called out in return. Her cousin stopped and looked back. "Don't be such a stranger, okay?"

"I'll write you." Elsa grinned, as she turned away.

Elsa of Arrendell was one of the only members of the High Court of Auradon who didn't send her villain to the Isle. She didn't really see the point, because it wasn't like Hans was getting off scot free. He was being punished by their own legal system. Something about handing off her troubles to another nation felt... irresponsible. For that reason, Queen Elsa was not well liked among the High Court. Where she went, there tended to be whispers about how their prison "wasn't good enough for her," or about how she hadn't taken a husband. There were rumors of impropriety with her sister, and rumors about her magic, and how she had almost become a villain herself.

Ultimately, Elsa was a queen of many rumors. This did not mean she was rude, even though she secretly wished to be. She was merely _cold_ to the families who accused her behind her back, and treated them the same way they treated her. Thanks to this mentality, Elsa was known for being rather mean.

That, combined with the unsubstantiated rumors, left her with a less than stellar reputation among the court. Despite the fact that she was disliked by the old families of Auradon, Elsa was the head of a massive shipping empire, and Adam couldn't very well exclude her, not since she'd given so much to the nation. She was still popular among the families of China, Maldonia, Agrabah, and Corona especially, with whom she shared very close relations. If Arrendell pulled out of the alliance, then Corona would likely follow.

King Adam had created this nation to benefit everyone, including the new families and kingdoms. From Camelot Heights to Southern Corona, The United Kingdoms would be just that: United. Now, he only needed to make the others see that.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I prefer 'Antoine' over Anthony for the Tremaine boy's name, largely because the Descendants kids all have very Americanized names with little to no cultural backgrounds (Lonnie, seriously?) So most of my characters get at the very least a multicultural spelling or a different version of the name their nicknames represent. On that note, Jay is short for Jahid, and in this au Lonnie is short for Lanying. ;)
> 
> P.S.: Daria exists because she was my OC for Drisella's daughter before Dizzy existed, so she's been retconned in as Diz's big sister.
> 
> Chapter Contains: Brief discussions of sex on The Isle

On Mal and Evie's fifteenth birthday, Jay surprised them with their very own room in the Junk Shop, which had legally been Jay's for two years now. Business was thriving, because the thief had good prices, and everyone was too afraid to steal from him, as they all knew Jay's shop was guarded by the Dragon. He'd given Carlos his old room in the garage, as soon as the old man gave up the ghost. And as soon as they'd cleared all the crap out of it.

Mal and Evie's room was gorgeous, with blue and purple drapes (Carlos had dyed and repaired them by hand), and blank beige walls, just waiting for Mal to decorate them. The bed was little more than a mattress, because what Isle beds were any better? But this mattress at least had bottom sheets, and an old comforter that was flat, but warm.

Mal had truly grown into her magic. She was crafting her own sigils, based on the arcane signs in her mother's spell book, and incorporating them into her Long Live Evil tags. She didn't know the true effect of the magic until later, but the sigils inspired fear and respect in all who saw them, so her graffiti became a powerful symbol of propaganda. Lately, Mal had been studying what she knew, not just of magic, but of strategy. Their parents had spent their entire lives scheming to get off of the island, so much that they'd neglected to deal with matters here at home. The new gang aimed to change that.

"Evie, darling, what is it that they say about stores and prices in Auradon?" Mal asked coyly, as she painted a powerful protection sigil on their bedroom wall.

"The freer the market, the freer the people?" Evie asked, knowing that there was a point to Mal's trivia games. There always was.

"Yes. That was it." Mal smiled wickedly. "This isn't Auradon though, and we're anything but free. I think it's time to lay down the law."

The law of the Isle, was that the strongest make the rules, and gods above, these four children were _strong_. Magically strong, manipulatively strong, and so so strongly in love.

"We need an army, Mal." Evie commented, as if she were discussing the weather. "A recruitment drive."

"Do you know anyone who might be interested?" The half-faerie asked, putting the finishing touches on her art.

"The Tremaine cousins. Dizzy loves me like a sister, and the older cousins Antoine and Daria want to stop their hag of a grandmother from abusing their drunken mothers." Evie went over the data in her head, already formulating a plan to get the cousins on her side.

"Well, we're helping abused kids now, apparently, so we might as well help their parents too." Mal shrugged, and with that motion, sealed Lady Tremaine's fate.

"Oh, Ginny Gothel is unaffiliated with any gangs right now." Carlos chimed in, from his spot in the corner, where he was running a wire of fairy lights along the wall of the room.

"Right. Marie LeGume is a free agent now too, right?" Mal mused, paint splattered hand on her hip. She looked like a vision, standing there in a T-shirt for getting dirty, paint on her fingers and on her face, where she brushed her nose or hair before the ink dried. Evie felt her heart skip a beat, because Mal looked so beautiful in that moment, she knew she would willingly follow this dragon to the ends of the earth. Who needed a prince, when you could have a Queen?

Later that week, Dizzy Tremaine went home from the Junk Shop, with a letter, written on simple notebook paper. Word on the grapevine (little Dizzy was so chatty) said that Lady Tremaine had gone through a terrible rage yesterday, making this the perfect opportunity to offer their proposal, as put forth in the letter that was even now, headed for the Tremaine household.

• • •

_Antoine and Daria,_

_I hear you had a problem with your grandmother recently. Luckily for you, Mal has ways of dealing with troubling authority figures - just look what happened to Jafar. Perhaps we can come to a mutually beneficial agreement._

_If you're interested, come to the shop after dark._

_\- Evie_

_• • •_

Sure enough, both cousins arrived, at the appointed time, and met Mal in the back room, where Evie served tea, made from the mint that grew wild like weeds by the roadsides. It was stronger than the watery swill from anywhere else on the isle. No one had ever bothered to try making the mint into a tea before (except, of course, the few witches who had the knowledge) because on the Isle, when you saw a witch picking plants, they were usually poisonous. Even now, knowing they were summoned for negotiations, the Tremaine cousins eyed the tea warily.

"So, am I to assume you sent this letter?" Antoine asked, waving the simple lined page in the air, before sliding it across to Evie.

"Under my orders, yes." Mal replied, and Evie nodded calmly.

"Is it true?" Daria asked, something in her eyes akin to hope. "I mean, we heard rumors, but..."

"Did we kill Jafar? Yes." Mal replied, calmly. "We did it because of what he did to Jay, a member of my group."

"If you're with Mal, you're under her protection." Evie added, quietly, so as not to distract from the main idea.

"So the senile old lady - will you make it look like an accident?" Antoine cut right to the chase, and Evie grinned coyly.

"Painful deaths cost more." She purred, because her image was that of an angel of death, and appearances are everything on the Isle Of The Lost.

"Doesn't matter." Daria answered. "We just want her gone, and our mothers can't suspect us."

"Let's talk prices." Mal grinned, and her eyes flashed green. "In the short term, I want you to help recruit Ginny Gothel."

"Done." Antoine replied with a casual wave. He and Ginny were friends, so that wouldn't be too hard.

"And the long term?" Daria, ever the pragmatist asked.

"All I ask is your cooperation." Mal grinned. "It sounds stupid, but there's strength in numbers. If we worked together, all of the Isle could be eating out of our hands."

"Working together?" Antoine sneered. "You sound like one of King Beast's propaganda films."

"And isn't it ironic?" Mal replied. "They preach at us about working together, when the only thing keeping us here on this evil-forsaken island is our own petty differences."

The cousins exchanged a glance with each other, could this really be true? If they banded together, could they have a better life?

"Besides," Mal sent out her final argument. "I reward and protect those who follow my command."

"When has Dizzy ever come home hungry, after visiting us?" Evie pointed out, that implication left hanging in the air like an anvil.

_Join us, and avoid starvation._

"Bullshit." Antoine countered. "The more people you get, the fewer resources you have."

"Not when all my supporters help contribute." Mal returned. "We have so many resources because we never waste. From now on, whatever bullshit items you get your hands on and don't want, get delivered to us. In return, you and your kin will never go hungry."

"Alright." Daria replied, ignoring her cousin's sidelong glance. They always used their finds to barter for more food anyway, and they came up short every month.

"Good choice. It's been a pleasure doing business with you." Mal's smile in that moment, could only be described as wicked.

• • •

"Where the hell have you been?" Maleficent snarled as Mal stalked through the door, bone tired after a day of directing her resources and subordinants.

"I was hanging out with my friends." She replied. It wasn't exactly a lie.

"Pathetic." Her mother spat. "At my age, I was amassing whole armies."

Mal inwardly laughed, and outwardly rolled her eyes. _Oh mother, if you only knew..._

"Since you seem so intent on missing dinner, you can just go without." The sorceress replied flippantly, and under the surface, Mal seethed.

"Yes, mother." She responded like a drone through clenched teeth, and if she hadn't dealt with it every day since birth, Maleficent's glare might have terrified her.

True to his word, Antoine had gotten Ginny Gothel to join the group, and she was admirably running the storefront while Jay went back to thievery. Carlos was their brain trust, and his current project was frankly brilliant. He had to come up with a weapon that would kill a dragon.

If it came down to it, Mal didn't really want to kill her mother. Unlike Carlos, whose mother forgot he existed most days, or Evie, who ran away more often than not because Grimmhilde was too scared to search for her. Jafar needed to be killed because he was viciously beating his son, and there was no prison within the prison. Maleficent needed to die, because she was going to stop them from ruling the isle, and that could not happen.

Mal was just beginning to put the first plan in motion, but she could see the result spread out before her, like a dream given life. The Auradonians weren't going to help them, their parents were worthless. Any change that came about on the Isle of the Lost, would have to come from the four and their own personal power. Mal imagined a world where she was Queen, and Evie ruled beside her, and Jay was a Prince of Thieves. She would give Carlos a throne too, if he wanted it, but he didn't seem the type to want one. She dreamed up a world where everyone was taken care of, and there was justice across the island.

To hell with their parents, and to anyone who stood in their way.

• • •

Yen Sid kept a bowl of condoms in his office, because this was the Isle, and no one else was doing it. While he didn't personally approve of sex among students so young, it was better to be protected, and it served to keep his students in school, as no one got condoms without attending at least one of his classes. Carlos DeVil attended his class simply because he liked it, and likely ended up picking up rubbers for his friend Jay. That boy couldn't be convinced to come to class these days, as he had a relatively successful business to run. What a _coincidence_ that his bastard of a father would leave the family business to him.

Yen Sid taught science and technology, the modern equivalent of magic. Carlos soaked in his lessons, and any material he had in the matter, his thirst for knowledge only surpassed by the son of Yzma: Yzla, whom Yen Sid suspected was a burgeoning chemist. Now that Carlos and Yzla were budding allies, and the former had the protection of Mal's group, both could walk freely in the halls without fear of attack. This made it twice as odd when the day came, where neither boy made it to class. The only two students Yen Sid could properly count on, were missing.

At least they sent a replacement.

"My name's Ginny." The girl nodded, when the teacher looked her way. "I'm here to take notes for Carlos and Yzla."

"Might I ask why they didn't come to class?" The wizard asked, as if he would actually get an answer. As if he had any right to know.

"Can't say." Ginny smirked. "Maybe for a price, I could let you in on it."

There was no one else in class that day, and the old man sighed. He knew these kids lived off of scraps and bribes, and he should be glad they still wanted to learn, even if they couldn't be here in person. He couldn't even find it in his heart to look down on Ginny Gothel.

"Here." Sid replied, tossing her a half-pack of cigarettes. "Don't smoke those, mind you. Barter with them."

"Will do, teach." Ginny saluted, before approaching him with a sly grin. "I don't know much about it, but the braniacs got drafted."

"Drafted?" Yen Sid asked, with all the grace of an outsider. The island had no military, no command structure whatsoever, other than the fact that the the powerful did as they pleased.

"Yeah, they got drafted into the Dragon Court, Mal's army." Ginny whispered conspiratorially. "Carlos is the sole head of the research and development department, and I heard they've got something big in the works."

"Something big, hmm?" The wizard hummed to himself. He had taken this position because he wanted to help the Isle's children be good. If Mal was planning something awful, he had to try and stop her for her own sake.

"I wouldn't suppose you could tell me what this something might be?"

"My lips are sealed." Ginny winked, before shrugging. "I can tell you this, though: it's for the best."

"For the best?" Yen Sid mused aloud, thinking idly about whether or not this warranted his attention.

"Look at me." The girl commanded, and the old wizard complied, almost before he realized it. "Really look at me, old man."

Yen Sid looked.

He had only seen Ginny Gothel once or twice, but he could tell there was something different about her. Her clothes, which had been the same dull and ragged of all Isle children, were fixed and brightened, no doubt by Evie, Mal's second in command. Her cheeks were no longer sunken and sallow, but rosy and healthy. The dark circles of worry had left her eyes, and were it not for the fading bruises and hatred in her gaze, she might have passed for an Auradon teenager.

"You're- you're being helped?" Yen Sid asked, incredulous. Given what he'd heard and seen, there was only one entity that could do this, and it surely wasn't the girl's damn mother.

"Yep. When I joined Mal, she made things better. She and her court taught me how to turn even the most inedible food into a real meal. Evie fixed my clothes, and as long as I bring in supplies-" She wiggled the box of cigs, like a tambourine. "-They make sure I'm taken care of."

The teacher nodded with a faint smile. He had somehow succeeded, even if he wasn't sure how, or if it was his doing at all. Mal was GOOD. The Auradon princes and rulers would disaprove of her methods, but her motives were pure. She was helping anyone who gave her allegiance. His thoughts must have shown on his face, because Ginny winked again.

"I actually had ulterior motives to come here today." The girl smirked. "I was told to see if you were really as sympathetic as the court thought you would be."

"Well I can see the er, _Dragon Court_ has helped you, Ginny." He replied, trying to keep the excitement from his voice.

"Yep. And I'll tell Mal you're on the level." The Gothel daughter replied. "I don't know why she wanted to know, but that's what I'll tell her."

Yen Sid didn't know it at the time, but his faith in Mal and his kindness to the children would save his life in the war to come.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains non-graphic references to off-screen sex between teenagers, and a non-graphic reference to familial rape. That one takes place in the paragraph concerning Claudine Frollo, so you may skip it if you wish. The quick and non-graphic murders in this chapter are par for the course for this story.

"We're running out of space." Evie had told her, when they woke up that morning, and dazedly stared into each other's eyes. Mal had stayed the night, in their Junk Shop bedroom, and it had been the best sleep of her life. After today, Mal hoped she wouldn't have to see her mother again, not until the day she killed her.

"I know." Mal replied, and meant it. The shop was perfect for just the four of them, but there were more now, including children who were under her protection, but wanted to run away. There simply weren't enough places to put them, especially now that the entire garage was taken up by Carlos' lab. Even the unflappable faerie blushed at the thought of bringing guests into their own bedroom, especially after last night...

Today was the day that Mal put her first plan into action. Today, they took Dragon Hall. The school building built into the crypts was old and smelly, but it was sturdy and well-defendable, and had ready-made rooms that could comfortably house up to four kids at once. That would be necessary for stage two of Mal's plan. Stage one had gone off without a hitch, and a lot of that was thanks to Evie's persuasion. First had been the Tremaine cousins, bright and ruthless Daria with her chestnut hair, and haughty Antoine with his noble bearing. After that, Ginny started stealing for them, and Evie was teaching Dizzy how to be a witch while she acted as courier. Mal sent the Gothel girl on her mission to scope out the school, while she herself kept up recruitment.

Claudine Frollo came to them on her own accord. Apparently, after the fiasco at Notre Dame, Frollo had given up all of his priestly vows, and slept with every woman who looked remotely like Esmeralda. When his daughter was born, with perfect green eyes and dark hair, he turned his attentions to her instead. So she ran to the court, having heard about Jafar and Lady Tremaine (but only through quiet rumors and hearsay) and begged them to help her too. The punishment for Frollo would have to wait until after they took Dragon Hall, but Mal refused to send Claudy back home, despite the fact they had no room - so they'd let her sleep under the counter, on the condition she didn't steal anything. Old habits die hard, after all.

Mad Maddie was an old friend of Mal's (as much as Isle children had friends) and it was easy to persuade her to join in the mayhem they would cause. As the Granddaughter of Mad Madam Mim, she had three generations of Witch blood in her genes, and could perform minor magic spells, as well as hold her own in a fight.

Marie LeGume was the sole daughter of Gaston, and she joined up simply because she had too many brothers and too little food to go around. Put bluntly, she was starving. Clay Clayton was in the same boat. He had no siblings, but his father wasted what money they had on booze and women. It didn't hurt that the young man had a nice gun and his machete to bring to the table. Lucky for him, Carlos didn't hold a grudge. If he did, Mal would have turned him down, firepower or not.

Today, they all met early on this Friday morning, and ate breakfast together. The only coffee on the Isle came in already-used grounds, and the filth served at the Slop Shop was this second-hand brew. Evie served her preferred mint tea with breakfast, bolstered by some powdered caffeine pills for days like these, when they needed energy. Jay stood at the stove, making a breakfast stir-fry with potatoes, cheese (it was one of the few foods that improved with age), onions, and sausage that came from a can. Typically, many Isle children skipped breakfast due to scarcity, but Mal wanted all their troops to be alert and ready.

"Status report?" The young leader asked as Ginny Gothel arrived, yawning. The bell over the door signaled her return.

"Yen Sid is on the level." The girl replied. "He genuinely wants to help." She slid the pack of cigarettes across the table, maybe short one or two, but who would know?

"He sent that as a peace offering." Ginny replied when Mal raised her eyebrow at the gift.

"Freddie Facilier told me she has no qualms about something happening to her father-" Dizzy announced as she skipped into the room, but was interrupted by the woman herself.

"I'm still coming along, though." Freddie announced, and Carlos smiled.

"Finally given up your policy of noninterference?" The boy asked. It was well known that the voodoo doctor wasn't involved with any gangs and avoided conflict at all costs, preferring to play both sides, if she could.

"Nah." Freddie shook her head. "I just want the old man's bones before anyone else gets 'em."

No one commented on that, simply chalked it up to "stuff Freddie says" more often than not. Everyone knew that bones factored heavily into Facilier magic. No one cared, as long as it worked.

"Good to hear." Mal replied. "That means the headmaster can be killed, if it comes to that."

Evie kissed her on the cheek when she brought Mal's food, and despite the grim discussion, it warmed her heart, like the spark of a thousand fireflies.

The plan was simple: They were to go through Dragon Hall like an army, going to classrooms one by one, and giving teachers the option to surrender. If they chose to run, they would go outside to be met with Carlos, who would attack them with his makeshift taser. It was cruel, yes, but would incapacitate them long enough for Dizzy Tremaine to bind their hands and legs with rope. It would hurt, but those who gave up would leave with their lives.

In each classroom, Mal would announce that all students who wanted her protection should join the march, and hopefully they'd gain more recruits as they went through the school. Given that most of the kids who went to school in the first place were young, powerless, or bored - it shouldn't take much to get their assistance. Any teacher who stood in their way would be shot. Any student who stood in their way would be incapacitated with magic or weapons. Mal preferred to give other young people the benefit of the doubt, as she was young herself, and knew what it was like to be headstrong and careless.

After breakfast was eaten and the whole team had arrived, Mal laid out her battle plan, over a map of the school that Carlos had stolen weeks ago.

"Alright. I'll be in the front, with Clay." She nodded to the boy. He was in front with her, because he held the only gun.

"Next in line are Evie, Maddie, and Freddie. You three are effectively like the 'witches corp'." When the voodoo woman raised her hand, Mal kept talking. "Yes, I know you're not getting involved, but I'm hoping you'll be an intimidation factor."

"Alright," Freddie nodded. "But if anyone asks, I'm not officially with you guys."

"Next, comes Jay, Marie, Claudine and Antoine. You guys are backup fighting support. Yzla, Daria, and Ginny: You three stay behind and guard the shop. Keep business running as usual."

The team nodded in agreement. So far, so good.

"Yen Sid is not to be harmed." Mal announced firmly. "He has proven time and again that he is an ally of this court." If not by word, exactly, then by virtue of treating his students with respect.

"Shouldn't we at least send him out with the other surrenders?" Antoine asked.

"No. That taser packs a real punch. An ally of ours, no matter how old or kind, doesn't deserve that." Carlos replied, receiving a warm grin from Mal.

"After the battle, I want you all to go home, and pack your things." Mal announced. She and her generals would move in later, as soon as the building was secure. The problem was that Mal needed to be with her army, and Jay still had a shop to run. He toyed with the idea of moving the shop to Dragon hall, but that wasn't really practical. He wouldn't get much traffic there.

"What about me, Mal?" Claudine asked, trying to hide the tremor in her voice.

"Not you, Frollo. We're giving you Carlos' old bed." They'd replaced the one from the crypt a few years back, and Mal wasn't letting that girl leave her sight until her father was dealt with. A wave of relief washed over her face, and she nodded cheerfully.

"Who's ready to raise hell?" Maddie smirked.

• • •

The school bells didn't ring that day, because Claudine Frollo didn't ring them. She was with the ragtag army of the Dragon Court.

The morning was surprisingly quiet, as all the students were in their classes. Yen Sid was sitting in his office, because there were no students attending class for him to teach today, And if that wasn't ominous, he didn't know what was. Scratch that: Yen Sid KNEW what was more ominous, and it was that exact sound of marching footsteps that approached, echoing, from down the hallway. He peered out of his office window, transfixed by what he saw.

Mother Gothel ran swiftly out of her classroom, pale as if she'd seen a ghost, and she was quickly followed by three columns of students, who didn't give chase. The group was led by Mal herself, and Yen Sid suddenly realized what the girl had been planning. A jolt of fear filled his heart, as he saw them heading his way.

Instead of barging in, like they had with Gothel, Mal merely knocked on his door. The old wizard reluctantly opened it.

"You have earned our respect, Yen Sid." Mal noted, in what was the closest to a compliment he would ever get from the Isle. "If you want to stay safe, I advise you to stay here in your office."

It wasn't really phrased as a threat, but Yen Sid wasn't going to argue. Nope. He was going to stay right here in his room, and have faith in the goodness that he knew was in this young girl's heart. Whatever she did today, he knew she did for the good of her followers, even if she couldn't say it out loud, not here on the Isle.

"Fair enough, carry on Lady Mal." The wizard replied, before slowly closing the door on the army. He hoped she liked that title. He hoped she would bear it righteously.

• • •

"Headmaster Facilier." Mal announced with a smirk. "The rest of your teachers are either dead, or captured. I give you one chance to surrender."

"Please. You're the same age as my daughter." The Shadowman laughed heartily, and glared at his daughter. "Speaking of that, you and I will have _words_ young lady."

"I take that as a no." Mal replied, and Clay took aim, just as he had done for the others before. The headmaster simply laughed again, and dissipated into shadows, his laughter echoing through the dim room.

"You forget, children... That ol' barrier don't work too well on voodoo..."

It was all Mal could do to keep Clay from shooting at shadows. She had a plan for this. She'd prepared for this eventuality.

"I've got friends on the other side..." Dr. Facilier chuckled, as Mal's eyes lit with emerald power.

"Your power is worthless, old man." Mal smirked and let all her magic out into a burst, the strongest she'd ever done before. A magic-dissipating sigil appeared on the ceiling, and all magic in the room was effectively cancelled out by her own.

"You- but how!?" The Shadowman exclaimed, ripped from his own shadow by the magic of a fifteen year old girl. "You shouldn't be able to do this! Even your mother can't use fae magic in the barrier!"

"It's a good thing I'm not my mother then, isn't it?" Mal smirked, before giving the signal to Clay, who fired his gun with perfect aim.

Freddie had the body before it hit the ground, and she melted into the shadows with it, leaving behind a victorious group of children.

"We did it..." Evie whispered, the faint smile starting to creep up on her face.

"Yes." Mal replied, in a voice filled with awe. "Yes, we did."

After that, a celebration broke loose. Jay gave out a loud whoop, and Claudine shouted in excitement. Mad Maddie started up a chant.

"Dragon Hall For The Dragon Court! Dragon Hall For The Dragon Court!"

It was fitting, Mal thought. It was _right_. They were _meant_ to have this.

Her army gathered up the stray students who hadn't joined the march and sent them on their way, most towing newly-untied teachers who were still dazed from the attack.

"Sorry!" Dizzy called after them. "It was a precaution we had to take!"

No one dared to call her out on the fact that a young villain had just given a heartfelt apology, except for Carlos, who ruffled her hair playfully on the way back inside the building.

"Going soft, D?" The boy teased, and Dizzy shook her head.

"Nah, I just like makin' 'em _think_ I'm going soft." The girl replied.

Yen Sid was summoned from his office to hear Mal's victory speech. He would have gone along anyway, but he smiled a bit at his entourage.

"Congratulations are in order!" Mal exclaimed, and was met with a loud cheer. "We have taken Dragon Hall!"

Another cheer rose up, this one even louder than the first.

"This place belongs to _us_ now! As for you new recruits..." Mal turned to the children from the classrooms who had joined the march.

"Anyone who wants it, will have the protection of the Dragon Court, as long as they contribute to _me_." Mal proclaimed. "Tomorrow, I will delegate tasks, and set up a work schedule. Anyone who doesn't want to help, clearly doesn't want my protection and my food, so they can feel free to leave."

Mal glared at the assembled children (despite having just won a major battle, that's what they still were, children), practically daring them to leave. No one did.

"Good." Mal grinned and nodded happily. "All of you who want to leave your family and live here, go home and gather your things. Tonight, we celebrate!"

. . .

While the children left, Mal and Evie and Jay and Carlos set to work fortifying the school building and turning classrooms into bedrooms. They broke down the flimsy wooden desks and chairs, throwing the wood onto a pile, for a great bonfire in the front lawn, later. The wood they didn't use, would go to heat the bedrooms on cold winter nights. The classrooms were cleared in that way, and Mal painted her Long Live Evil tag on one wall, integrating a protection rune. No one would harm her subjects here, in HER domain.

Yen Sid was impressed by what a villain girl of fifteen could accomplish. She had taken a school as her stronghold, and turned it into a home for her followers, a safe-haven. She had even given teachers and students the chance to surrender without a fight, and only attacked those few who defied her. Currently, the casualties list was only four teachers. Two were nobodies, common murderers and thieves who were sent to the isle for their crimes, and not their notoriety. They sorely underestimated Mal.

Then there was Madame Medusa, the pawn shop owner, who was simply too drunk to care that she was about to die. Honestly, whoever thought it would be a good idea to let her around children, it was beyond him. They would need to let her own son know about her death though. Freddie Facilier came back for the other bodies, but promised to leave Medusa's alone, until her child Michael came to claim it. The other casualty, of course, was Dr. Facilier, the Shadowman himself.

Never underestimate four children who had suffered for each other.

"Say, Old Man!" Madeline Mim or 'Mad Maddie' approached him at the bonfire. "What's so special about you, that the court wanted to keep you alive?"

"I believe that Mal is doing good." He replied, truthfully. "I will support her court with all I have."

"Good?" Maddie scoffed. "Mal's not good. She's rotten to the core, and we respect her for it. She killed the Shadow man!"

Yen Sid didn't bother to correct her. Mal _was_ good, even if she, herself, didn't know it yet. Even if she took power in the only way she knew, that power was used for the right reasons.

• • •

They all sat around the bonfire as the sun dipped down below the horizon. Mal had gone to relieve the last three troops of their duty in the Junk Shop, and conscripted them to help carry their (Mal and Evie's) bed and drapes to Dragon Hall. The whole school complex was underground, so there was no need for drapes, but Mal planned to paint windows on the wall, the likes of which couldn't even be found in Auradon. The rest of their things could wait until tomorrow.

Now that all the work was done, they sat around the fire on wooden chairs that might not exist tomorrow, not unlike the fragile friendship that bound them all together. Friendship was unheard of on the island, and even now, Mal couldn't stand to call the other three her friends. Jay was her rival, Carlos her brother, and Evie her lover. Mad Maddie, Claudine Frollo, Dizzy Tremaine... They were not friends either, only allies, or soldiers.

Isle relationships were complicated.

"Every day should be like this." Jay commented, and he was drunk, and it was nonsense, yet the other three nodded solemnly. They got it. Mal kissed Evie fiercely, daring anyone among them to challenge that display of affection.

"I mean, I don't want to be alone." Jay explained, and Carlos took his hand, holding it as if he would never let go.

"You won't be." Carlos noted. "Where you go, I go."

Dizzy danced like her namesake, spinning and twirling with Claudy, and when the other girl sat down, Dizzy kept spinning, unsteady on her feet. Someone had given her liquor, Mal knew, but she couldn't bring herself to care, for once. It was just one night, after all. Let the child have fun and act her age. Let them all.


	6. Interlude I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: A little one-shot that takes place in the Kill A Dragon universe. It gives some background and story about the Tremaine cousins and their relationship with Ginny Gothel. At the time this story takes place, Maleficent hadn't banished Grimmhilde yet, so Evie still goes to Dragon Hall.
> 
> Chapter Contains: Consensual, non-graphic incest between cousins. This chapter is relatively fluffy compared to previous ones, but totally optional and has little to no bearing on the main story.

On the isle, there was no such thing as love; but there was loyalty. You had loyalty to your gang, and loyalty to your family. Loyalty to someone you slept with was pretty high on the list too, and that's what Ginny was to Antoine Tremaine. She was just some girl he had sex with, so he was obligated to offer protection when he could, and he let her sleep over sometimes, when her mother was being irrational and vain, and to be perfectly honest, he rather enjoyed having her around (evil forbid anyone heard him say it though).

Daria was different.

They were born in the same year, just weeks apart, and they were raised like twins in their grandmother's household. Daria came a month behind her cousin, and they shared everything together; first bath, first meal, first steps.

First Kiss.

It wasn't right, the Auradonians would say (hell, even some villains said as much), but Lady Tremaine was of the opinion that high blood should marry high blood, and if both parties were cousins... Well it wasn't a problem in her day, so she abided it in her household. And honestly, the rules wouldn't have stopped them anyway. When did Isle kids ever care about the rules?

For the first part of their lives, Daria and Antoine were inseparable. When they heard the kids at school talking about kissing, and how you did it, and whom you did it with, they didn't want to be left behind in Dragon Hall's latest prepubescent trend. That evening, after school, they sat on the back porch and watched the stars come out, through the murky pollution and magic barrier fog that can only be seen on the Isle of The Lost.

"So what did the girls say about kissing?" Antoine asked his cousin, knowing that she'd been listening to the rumours and gossip among the girls. They always spied for each other in circles where their other half could not go.

"Evie says that kissing is like in the fairy tales, that you kiss the Prince you want to marry." Daria mused. Evie was known around Dragon Hall's second grade as a bit of an airhead, and too kind for her own good.

"Gaston Jr. says that if you kiss a girl, she'll have a baby." Antoine replied.

"Well that's a load of crap." Daria answered, grinning when her cousin nodded in agreement. "Mother told me that my father never kissed her. She used to complain about it all the time."

"I remember." Antoine noted. "If your mother was never kissed, how did you get here? Gaston must be lying."

"Gilda said that kissing is something you do with a boy you think is cute." Daria continued her report, glancing at her cousin, and then looking away.

"That fact is also widely accepted among boys." Antoine noted, even as he purposefully avoided Daria's eyes.

"We should try it sometime," the girl suggested, "Since all the other kids are doing it."

"Of course. Merely to keep up appearances." Antoine quoted his grandmother. She said that a lot: 'to keep up appearances,' and while he wasn't sure what it meant, it seemed to apply to this situation.

"So..." Daria trailed off. "Are there any girls you think are cute...?"

"You're the only cute one." Antoine replied, with all his seven year old logic. And while he had amended his opinion over the years (there were _many_ beautiful girls on the island), the sentiment still held true.

Daria Tremaine was the only girl who ever understood him fully, completely, like two halves of a whole. They were soulmates in the truest sense of the word (in that they completed each other's soul). They were twins from two different wombs. There was no one he would rather share his first kiss with than her.

It was only later that they discovered the social stigma attached to cousins who were closer than family should be. Deep kisses beneath the moonlight became hushed presses of lips beneath the covers. A peck on the cheek before school was given out of the sight of prying eyes.

Daria dated Gilda for a while, and Antoine went out with Ginny.

It wasn't the same as the moments they shared together as cousins, so they eventually stopped talking about it. They took other people to bed and didn't get jealous over a new fling, because they knew it didn't matter. The Tremaine cousins meant more to each other than all the wealth in the world, and the other trysts were merely entertainment.

Until one day, at a raging party, Ginny kissed Daria, sloppy and drunk and passionate nonetheless. The girl began to see what her cousin saw in Gothel. Soon, they began to bring her gifts and food, and protection. Courting her in their own way, a way that the Isle accepted. She had wormed her way into the cousins' hearts, and eventually, one day, they told her about their feelings for each other.

They were certain it would end in disaster, but the burden of dishonesty from Ginny was worth the risk. To their surprise, when told that Daria and Antoine loved each other strictly more than cousins should, she simply laughed.

"Evil sakes, that's hot." She muttered, a wicked grin curling across her lips. "You'll let me watch, right?"

"Darling, we'll let you join in." Daria smirked.

Ultimately, Ginny Gothel was just a girl he sometimes slept with. Or so Antoine said to those gossips who asked. While Daria held a near and dear space in his shriveled black heart... Ginny Gothel was a close second.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: A picture into the daily lives of the Dragon Court after their hostile takeover.
> 
> P.S.: Smoking is bad, kids.

Mal woke up the next morning with a massive hangover. Evie's face was the first thing she saw, and it filled her heart with happiness. She woke up her princess with a soft smile, and judging by the way she gripped her head, Evie had a headache too.

Breakfast was delicious, as usual, and observed religiously by Mal, who loved Jay's cooking. He and Carlos had come over early to make food for the other kids, and somehow got his hands on real, actual coffee, a thousand times better than the swill they'd had in the past. When asked, Jay merely smirked.

"A great thief never reveals his secrets."

He also indicated that this was a rare occasion, and they shouldn't expect good coffee on a regular basis.

After breakfast, Evie went off with a list of what they needed done, and the best people to do it. Mal had other business to attend to, namely sending their little scout Dizzy to round up Michael Medusa to give him the bad news. As it turned out, that wasn't necessary. Mal had claimed the headmaster's office for her own, and Carlos was currently examining the archives of the school library which were housed right across from it. The place was usually off-limits to the public, so Mal held out hope that those archives held something good.

Ginny, who had been given the first patrol, came into the office, breathless and flushed, as if she'd run the whole way in.

"Claudine says there's someone coming. She thinks it's the Medusa boy." Ginny exclaimed. Claudine was given the post of watchman, from the bell tower.

"Just the man I wanted to see." Mal nodded to the girl. "Send him in."

• • •

Evie made her way through the halls of the converted school, housekeeping list in hand. First stop: Clay Clayton. She found the boy at target practice, hacking away at a wooden stump in the graveyard with his machete.

"Hey there, Clay." She grinned at him, and wiping the sweat from his brow, he gave a salute. "How about we put that youthful energy to good use?"

"What did you have in mind?" He smirked, and Evie fluttered her eyelashes at him. Her heart belonged to Mal, and she couldn't even really say she was attracted to boys, but flirting got her favors, and was a skill she wanted to keep sharp.

"We need help breaking down the last of the desks into firewood for winter." Evie smirked. "Sounds like a fine job for a big strong boy, right?"

"I'll get right on it." Clay grinned, and slung his machete over his shoulder. It wasn't really the right tool for chopping wood, but no one she knew had an axe or hatchet.

Next stop on the list: Yen Sid.

When she politely knocked on the office door, Yen Sid answered with the same respect. He had gone home after the bonfire last night, and was assured that he could come back in the morning.

"Come in, Genevieve." The wizard smiled as he held the door for her, and she sat across from him at his desk.

"I've come to let you know you can keep your job here, if you still want it. Were you being paid?" She asked, tentatively. Mal had ordered her to try and keep the teacher's salary as it was, within reason.

"I receive a stipend from the crown, so you needn't worry."

"That's good." Evie breathed a sigh of relief. "We won't have much revenue once we start making kids come to school."

"You're making students... attend classes?" Yen Sid asked, feeling his heart lift with joy.

"More like strongly suggesting. It'll take a few days for things to go back to normal, but we didn't come this far on natural talent, believe it or not." Evie admitted, a bit shyly. Education was never a big deal on the island and Grimmhilde practically forbade Evie to read at home, saying that it would hurt her eyes and limit her chances for a good husband.

"I see..." Yen Sid nodded affirmatively.

"When Mal was ten, her mother gave her a copy of the Art Of War, a treatise from Mulan's country. She still sleeps with it on her nightstand."

"And what about you?" Sid asked. "I know you're more than just a pretty girl, Evie. Where did you get your knowledge?"

"My mother's Grimoire." Evie replied quietly. "It details all the uses of plants, both edible and poisonous. There were some nights, before we got this powerful, that the knowledge in that book was the only thing that kept us alive."

Evie recalled going into the misty forest with Jay and Carlos and Mal, and showing them which roots to pull up and flowers to pick, and explaining how you had to boil dandelions twice, to get the bitterness out.

"Can I tell you a secret?" The girl asked, and Yen Sid nodded solemnly. Due to his knowledge and honesty, he had become quite an impromptu school counselor as of late.

"I think I have magic. Not like Mal's, but witch magic." Evie felt the joy bubbling up inside her. "There are recipes for potions that I know, not just poisons. I've tried a few, and they actually work, even here on the Isle!"

"Well, what do you think this means for you?" The wizard prompted.

"Well... I won't have to be powerless any more. I can be strong, like Mal." Evie explained.

"That's true," Yen Sid nodded. Feeling strong and confident would go a long way in helping Evie break free of her mother's influence. "But you must remember, Evie, you were powerful _before_ you grew into your magic. You are strong and beautiful, even without power."

"Thank you." Evie replied politely. She was not such a villain that she didn't award respect to those who deserved it, and wouldn't think her weak for it.

"So, which classes do you want me to teach, or should things simply go on as usual?" Sid asked, as Evie smiled coyly.

"I'm assuming Auradon hasn't authorized you to teach any magic?"

"Unfortunately, not even students in Auradon learn magic anymore." Yen Sid sighed, thinking about how the actions of a few scared monarchs had condemned an entire school of study. Evie, on the other hand, practically purred. The foolish and weak children on Auradon couldn't even use magic, when the very air outside the barrier was thick with it! If she and the other witches could do this from behind the barrier, just imagine the havoc they would wreak in Auradon?

"Alright then. We'll have to cut the goodness classes, I'm afraid." Evie smirked. "Wouldn't want our troops going soft, now. Everything else stays the same."

"No one ever went to my goodness classes anyway." Yen Sid scoffed. And yet, somehow, here was Mal's second in command, confiding in him and showing polite respect, while Mal herself was doing the best to keep her 'subjects' fed and safe. Someone must have done _something_ right.

"You'll have a lot more students, soon." Evie replied sweetly, as she stood and curtsied.

"Oh?" The wizard asked, mildly amused.

"Yes. Once we deal with the pervert Frollo, Mal plans to go out into the market and announce that any child who wants it, shall be under the protection of the court." Evie's eyes got a little misty as she smiled. "I'm going to teach them everything I know."

• • •

"Michael." Mal nodded to the son of Madam Medusa. "I assume you're here because you heard the bad news?"

"Hardly bad." Michael announced, and pulled out a tin cigarette case. "Mind if I smoke?"

"Only if I can smoke too." Mal replied.

They both lit their cigarettes and blew smoke rings at the ceiling.

"You killed my drunk of a mother." Michael replied. "I owe you a debt of gratitude."

"Well, I have a quick way to make us even." Mal replied. "We have need of a few supplies that are hard for us to make or find. Primarily, we need a stone mortar and pestle, and a pair of binoculars."

"Hmm... The old hag-" presumably his mother "- got a pair of binoculars from Clayton a few years back. The mortar might be harder, but I'll keep an eye out for you." Michael nodded to Mal, tipping his cigarette into the late Facilier's skull-shaped ash-tray.

"Pleasure doing business. If you ever come across something you don't need and can't sell, keep us in mind, alright?" Mal grinned. "We'll get you a better price than those scalpers at the market."

"Will do." The young man nodded, and turned back to Mal before leaving. "I'll send the binoculars before nightfall. Don't shoot my alligators."

"I'll keep that in mind." Mal smirked.

As soon as he left, Ginny entered again, looking even more scared, if that was possible.

"Mal, we have another visitor." The girl called out. "This time, it's Evie's mom."

"Send her in." Mal replied, but tried not to freak out inside. "Oh, and try to make sure she doesn't see any of our projects!"

Whatever they had in the works, the Evil Queen was the second-to-last person that needed to know about it. The first of which was of course, Maleficent. She had to stay calm, Mal told herself, despite the fact that she wanted to tear that witch's throat out, for what she did to Evie. The blue-haired princess may not know it, but Mal knew about the hours of rigorous posture training, and how she took painstakingly long to fix her makeup. Her obsession with perfection was not naturally a part of her, and Mal had a pretty damn good idea who to blame.

"Grimmhilde." Mal nodded, when the old woman entered.

"Still just as disrespectful as your whore of a mother, I see." The Evil Queen snipped, and Mal seethed, her eyes glowing green.

"What are you here for?" The half-faerie asked the displaced regent.

"I came to find my daughter, who hasn't been home in three days. I first went to the junk shop, and that thief wouldn't tell me where she was!" Grimmhilde exclaimed, practically foaming at the mouth. Mal breathed a silent prayer of thanks to Jay, for keeping his mouth shut.

"So how did you think to come here, of all places?" Mal asked, trying to narrow down who the snitch was.

"I saw that little Tremaine brat run out of the shop, and followed her. She led me here, where I overheard talk about Evie, and demanded that Gothel girl let me in!" Grimmhilde snarled, "Imagine! She didn't recognize my authority as a big shot here!"

"That's because you're not." Mal smirked. Oh, how she had waited for this moment. As soon as she was done telling off EQ, the bitch would surely run off to Maleficent, but that was a price Mal was willing to pay, a price for which she had a contingency plan.

"You've been usurped, Grimmhilde." Mal grinned even wider, and her eyes glowed even greener.

"By _WHOM_!?" The old woman screamed, and Mal only laughed. Oh, how she savored her victory.

"By me." The fae giggled, and merely jumped back, when the queen lunged. "You wanted your daughter to marry royalty, right? Did the gender matter?"

"You wouldn't dare!"

"I would, and I shall. Evie will be my queen, to share all of my wealth and power." Mal smirked. "And when I take over Auradon, she will be an Empress."

Suddenly, the Evil Queen stopped fighting. She sat down, stunned, and even mildly impressed.

"Empress..." She murmured quietly.

"Yes. Once things settle down, I am going to marry your daughter, and there isn't a thing you can do about it."

Seeming to snap out of her reverie, Grimmhilde glanced up at Mal with a glare.

"You talk big about conquering the island, and surely you've made some progress with this... _stronghold_..." The woman spat. "But how, pray tell, will you wrest this island from your mother? The Mistress Of All Evil?"

"If you promise to keep it a secret, I'll show you." Mal smirked, and receiving no answer, she shrugged. This little display of power shouldn't raise too much attention.

With a flick of her wrist, Mal sent the Evil Queen flying into the wall, like a fly stuck to glue-paper.

"I have magic, beyond anything my mother can control behind this Evil-Forsaken barrier." Mal grinned, before she snapped her fingers, and the woman fell. Though she didn't show it, that magic took a lot out of her, and she wouldn't be able to do any fancy parlor tricks for a while.

"And you-" the Evil Queen gasped and croaked. "You want my blessing?"

"I would have done it anyway," Mal quipped. "But as much as I despise you, Evie would want you at the wedding."

Her voice turned dark, and her eyes flashed green.

"And if you wish to keep your invitation, you will keep this little interaction a secret, and you will not harm a single hair on Evie's head, understand?"

The Evil Queen warily nodded, and Mal could only hope that her mother hadn't sensed the magical power surge, and that Carlos' weapon would be ready soon.

• • •

As much as he loved digging through the archives, Carlos didn't really feel like himself until he was back with Jay, tinkering in the garage. Within the next week, the girls would move their things to Dragon Hall, and he could move into their old room. It felt good to have space of his own to sprawl out in.

The Archives had been fascinating. Carlos found a plethora of forgotten tomes that the adults wanted to keep out of children's hands. He found a book on how to rule from Old Corona, and it detailed many strategies for governing with an iron fist. That one was gifted to Mal. Carlos had also found a host of Auradon fashion magazines, and sent them off to Evie. For himself, Carlos had found back issues of a publication called 'popular mechanics' which was frankly fascinating. For Jay, he'd found a publication for an Auradon game called 'Tourney'. Speaking of Jay...

"So, how's the weapon coming along?" Jay asked, as he handed the younger boy a plate, with a sandwich on it.

"Better than expected. I'm calibrating it to handle all of Maleficent's powers, whether she can still use them or not." Carlos explained, before biting into his sandwich, as Jay examined the weapon. It was a long metal staff, which was originally a pipe from the docks. The end of the staff was fixed with two prongs that could be electrified. Based on magical theory, and Mal's personal experience, it seemed like that type of shock could keep Maleficent from turning into a dragon. The part where the staff would be held was insulated by rubber, of course, to keep the metal from shocking the wielder.

The staff had a hidden spray compartment that could squirt one of Evie's poisons like a water-gun or a spray bottle, and Evie had already developed a super-powered potion that would hopefully overpower the dragon metabolism and put Maleficent into a deep sleep. But unlike her mother, Mal would finish the job when the time came to do so. Because she simply had no other choice. If she wanted to maintain her seat of power, her mother would have to go.

"You know, Evie's mom stopped by today, looking for her." Jay commented offhandedly.

"You didn't let her in, did you?" Carlos asked, glancing at his friend warily.

"Well I had to. Shop was already open."

"Jay..." Carlos warned, hoping to all hope that his best friend hadn't done something stupid.

"What!? Dude, I didn't tell her anything, geez!" Jay exclaimed, muttering something under his breath about how no one ever trusted him to keep a secret.

Having heard the noise, young Beelzebub the cat trotted across Carlos' garage to rub against Jay's legs, a bit more slowly than usual. Noticing the change, the boy crept over and picked her up, suddenly realizing how heavy she was.

"Oh-! Dalmatians!" Carlos exclaimed, using his mother's favorite curse. But his face was happy, not angry or sad. "Look, Jay! I think Zelly's pregnant!"

"I wonder if Evie wants some familiars..." Jay commented, rubbing Beelzebub's fur as she purred.

"A what-now?" Carlos asked.

"In the old days, witches used to have pets called 'familiars' that would help them with magic, like Maleficent's raven, or Grimmhilde's vultures. Black cats are traditional." Jay explained.

"I know what a familiar is, Jay. I was just surprised." Carlos retorted, even though he clearly just found out.

"What? I know stuff!" Jay scoffed.

"Yeah, like the weight of your own vanity." Carlos teased back. As soon as Beelzebub was set down, Jay scooped up Carlos into his arms.

"Yep. And my vanity doesn't weigh half as much as you do." The taller boy teased.

"Jahid Jafarson! Put me down!" Carlos exclaimed, though a huge smile covered his face.

"Never." Jay grinned right back


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: For anyone interested, Juan is Diego DeVil's (from the books) little brother and Hildy is the daughter of a witch from Snow White's kingdom.
> 
> Chapter contains semi-graphic depictions of murder, consensual non-graphic sex between teenagers, and briefly mentioned morally dubious sex between adults.

On Ben's sixteenth birthday, he was almost King of Auradon. He settled for a date with Audrey, to have dinner and a movie.

On Mal's sixteenth birthday, she became self-proclaimed Queen of the Isle, and made love to Evie under a hand-made quilt.

The next day, she murdered Frollo in cold blood, as punishment for molesting his own daughter. Then, she put his head on a pike, and paraded it into the town square, congealed blood still dripping down the wooden stake. Amid gasps and wide eyes, she raised the head of the corrupted priest up high, and called for attention.

"Listen up, villains!" Mal announced, flanked on either side by her three closest confidants. "This is the former priest, Frollo! He was killed because he raped his child!" She announced with all the brutal honesty of an avenging angel.

"Any of you children who have been hurt in the same way, come forward! And I will protect you!" Mal announced. No one moved in the quiet square, because they were criminals and villains, and even the children knew that nothing could be so easy.

"Have no fear." Jay announced with a grin. "We'll ask a price for your protection, but it will be nothing like the hell you suffer at the hands of your parents."

Compared to what they'd been through, giving a cut of their scores was nothing. Slowly, a little boy inched away from the crowd, and rushed to the four teens, chased closely by an angry older man. When the child got close, Evie stepped forward, knife in hand, and lunged at the older man.

"I'd take a step back, if I were you, bastard." She purred, while the boy hid behind Carlos. To everyone's surprise, they seemed to know each other, and the little boy had black curly hair that looked shockingly like DeVil locks.

"He's a cousin." Carlos whispered to Jay, in explanation.

"That boy is my son. Give him back!" The man snarled.

"No can do, buddy." Jay smirked. "If you come after him, we'll have to kill you."

"We might kill you anyway," Evie crooned as the man reluctantly stepped back. "For the fun of it, you see."

Soon, another girl came running through the crowd with no pursuer in tow. She had wavy brown hair and cute freckles. She darted behind Evie with a faint smile.

"You're a witch too." The girl whispered, and Evie nodded solemnly.

"Yes. I am." The princess replied.

"Any child who is starving and cold, follow me, and I will provide!" Mal exclaimed. A handful of threadbare urchins followed the first, clustering around the four teens, and by the end of the afternoon, they had a whole herd of ragged children following them back to Dragon Hall.

"Carlos, I'll need that staff now." Mal whispered. "After our little display in the market, Maleficent is surely on her way."

• • •

While Mal prepared for her mother, Evie and Carlos put all the new children into their records, a simple school composition book.

"Name's Juan DeVil. I'm seven, and I can steal like a ghost." The little boy announced, and Carlos repeated to Evie that Juan was his little cousin, the brother of Diego DeVil, who'd run away years ago, and currently lived on the opposite side of the island. Evie didn't bother asking how they were related.

"I'm Hildy, short for Hildegard." The young witch who'd hidden behind Evie announced. "I'm this many." She said, holding up six fingers.

Evie's heart practically broke with the cuteness.

"I'm a witch, but my mom didn't teach me anything. She said I didn't need it, since the barrier was up." Hildegard admitted quietly, as if she was going to be kicked out for having no knowledge of magic.

"Don't worry, Hildy." Evie assured her. "Go stand with the rest of the girls, and we'll find a place for you."

They had separated the children by gender as they registered, and Evie marked the list with all their talents and abilities. Soon, Evie was going to start a potion's class for those who were interested, and Hildegard, Dizzy, and Maddie seemed to be good choices. Given his knowledge in chemistry, Yzla might also be interested. Carlos was teaching a defensive fighting course, and Jay would teach cooking classes on Sundays. Together, they would build up this rag-tag team into an army. That army would take over the island, and turn it from a prison-like wasteland to a functioning city.

That was phase three of Mal's plan. Then, if they were lucky, the Auradonians would take notice, and Mal could arrange a meeting, a real discussion, where she planned to bring up conditions on the island. Surely all those prissy princesses could feel pity for dirty street urchins whose poor condition was mostly their fault anyway, right?

It just so happened that the day Mal recruited the children (later known by the witnesses as Market Day), happened to fall on a delivery day from the barges. While Evie directed the children, the court's resident thieves and barge snatchers began trickling in with their finds. Ginny had her arms full of canned foods, and Clay had a trash bag slung over each shoulder. Daria carried rolls of discolored fabric, and Antoine had a wide collection of everything, including a bag full of old Auradon sweaters, the kind that trickled in whenever winter was near. Carlos was under the impression that Auradon families just threw out their old clothes every year and bought new ones every winter.

The Isle kids didn't know about Prince Ben's new campaign to send their old winter clothes to the isle as an act of charity. It was a damn good thing that Mal's gang got to them first, for the children, rather than let good clothes be fought over by ruthless adults and sold for ridiculous prices by the market owners.

"Alright! You know the drill. Trash bags get passed on to Yzla!" Carlos announced, nodding at Clay, who sneered at taking orders from Carlos, but complied, because he knew that if he lifted a finger against the boy, he would have to leave Dragon Hall, and all the benefits and food that came with it.

"Clothes and fabric go to Evie." Carlos said to Daria and Antoine.

"Just set them in my room." Evie replied, waving them away as she finished recording their new arrivals.

"Food has to go to the mess hall." Carlos finished, nodding to Ginny.

Evie faintly wondered how her girlfriend was doing. They were going through this in an old classroom that was still actually a classroom (if only because the desks in here were steel and not wood), so they could have easily missed Maleficent's entrance.

It was ironic she chose that moment to think about it, because Mal was, at that very moment, staring down her mother.

• • •

"Hello, my little dragon." The ancient faerie cooed, as if Mal was five years old again, as if Mal was weak. The girl made sure to meet her mother in the office with the rune on the ceiling, to cancel out any magic but her own. She hoped it would work against her mother's near identical magical signature.

"Hello mother." The daughter replied, keeping her expression neutral, despite the fear and rage that fought for control of her lungs.

"I must admit, when you disappeared, I thought you'd been weaker than I imagined." Maleficent grinned, and was that... _pride_ in her voice? "But to my surprise, you were still alive, and amassing a cute little army. I'm rather impressed, Mal."

Mal simply raised an eyebrow, coaxing Maleficent to go on.

"I'm curious about what you've done here. What are your goals?" She narrowed her eyes, voice suddenly cruel again. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't tell you, mother, because you taught me to always keep my resources close." Mal replied evenly.

"But you are mine, Mal. My daughter." Maleficent insisted, as they continued their stare-off.

"Oh, so _now_ you claim me? Now that I'm a threat?" The young woman quipped, and her mother recoiled.

"You aren't a threat, _Bertha_ , you're a liability." The dragon glared in return.

"Really, mother? Or am I too weak and human for you to love as your own?"

"You were always mine." The dark fae growled, eyes narrowed. "I gave you my _name_!"

"You gave me _half_ your name!"

"Because you will _never_ be as powerful as me!"

"Wanna bet, mother?" Mal grinned, and took her new scepter in hand.

"What is that metal stick, daughter of mine?" The elder Maleficent smirked, eyeing the contraption Carlos had designed.

"It's your doom." Mal smirked in reply, even though her hands were shaking. If Jay could kill his parent, why couldn't she? Why was she feeling so weak?

"You think you can channel magic through that?" A cackling laugh echoed throughout the room. "You have no magic, half-human!"

"I do, mother. I do have magic." Mal practically whispered, as she lit the electric tongs. "But I won't need it to defeat the likes of you!"

She plunged her staff forward, and Maleficent dodged, but the second hit struck her, and she collapsed to the floor with a blood curdling scream. Before Mal could use the sleeping potion, Maleficent threw up her arms as if she were begging, and the daughter had never seen her mother so... vulnerable. It gave her pause, even though she kept the staff steady, and gathered an aura of power to her free hand.

"Amazing." The dragoness practically purred, gazing at Mal's lilac-green swirled magic. It made the girl more than a little uncomfortable to finally get approval from her mother at the point of a weapon.

"So you really do have magic..." Maleficent grinned wickedly. "Then before you kill me, let me tell you the things I've kept secret for so long."

"What are you talking about? Is this a trick?" Mal narrowed her eyes, cautious. Also, why was her mother accepting her fate? Maleficent wasn't typically proud of her child, and she sure didn't accept death like a lamb at slaughter.

"Let me tell you, little dragon. Let me tell you everything..."

• • •

Yen Sid was frankly amazed at the number of students who had come to learn, for learning's sake. It had never been like this before, and he was revelling in it. Finally, an opportunity to teach.

"Might I ask what brought about such a great turnout?" The old wizard asked, fighting to keep the silly grin off of his face.

"You know how powerful the four are, right?" Clay Clayton explained.

"Right." Ginny Gothel continued. "They didn't get like that just because of who their parents were."

"We figured out that a lot of it had to do with knowledge. Those four soak it up like sponges." Marie LeGume chimed in, and Yen Sid found himself smiling, despite his best efforts to crush the emotion. Mal and her three companions had clearly dropped hints that knowledge was power, and put a thirst for learning into their young subjects' minds.

"Well then! We shall start with something simple." Sid had spent his last academic break coming up with lesson plans that would appeal to young villains, and he'd finally had a good idea.

"Today, you'll learn about the most decisive battles of Auradon's history. Through this, you'll get a glimpse into the mind of the Auradonian soldier, and their battle strategy."

"So we can crush them when we take over!" Ginny chuckled wickedly, and the teacher found himself amused by their mischievous behavior, even while hoping that it would never come to all-out war.

Yen Sid grinned at his students, and cracked open a history book he had gotten from the previously locked-off archives.

"Let's begin with the battle of Rose Keep, the ancestral castle of Sleeping Beauty. As you all know, Maleficent had put the entire place under a curse, to sleep for all eternity. A curse which could only be broken by true-love's kiss, or whatever 'true-love' meant to the person who was cursed."

That was an important point, Sid thought. Almost all curses had a loophole. Any that didn't kill the victim outright usually had an escape route.

"Prince Phillip, of a neighboring clan, was going to marry Princess Aurora to unite their lands, but knowing the loophole of the curse, Maleficent refused to let the boy through. Does anyone recall Maleficent's first trap?" The wizard asked his class.

"A forest of thorns." Claudine answered.

"Right. Lesson one: if you have the advantage of defense, always lay clever traps. Prince Phillip got through because he had an enchanted sword that could cut through briars strong as iron. When he finally faced Maleficent, he pulled out a shield, that could repel dragon fire."

"Hold on a second-" Clay interrupted. "Everything we've been told is wrong. Phillip didn't win because he was courageous and kind. He won the battle because he had artifacts that lent him magic!"

"In our old Villain History lessons, we were always told that Maleficent lost because she was unprepared..." Ginny mused.

"Oh, but Phillip was _extra_ prepared, wasn't he?" Marie pointed out, excitedly connecting the dots.

"Precisely. Phillip had powerful artifacts. But those artifacts are hardly limited to heroes." Yen Sid explained. "Every artifact must come from somewhere, and anyone can make one, if they have a bit of magic."

"Right! Like Jafar's serpent staff!" Claudine exclaimed.

"Or the magic mirror." Clay added.

"Or an immortality flower!" Ginny Gothel smirked.

"Correct." Sid smiled. "In the end, Maleficent lost, not because of any particular downfall, just the stroke of misfortune that Phillip had a shield and sword that trumped her abilities.

• • •

"So, as I lay dying, curled up in a cave and using magic to heal my body, I became quite fascinated with the man who defeated me." Maleficent explained.

"Eww, mother." Mal rolled her eyes.

"I wouldn't be so quick to say that if I were you, darling." The mother chided. "I have learned over the years, to take any opportunity I can. So imagine my surprise, when after I was found, bound, and taken to an Auradon jail cell to await deportation to the Isle... _He_ comes in, to see me."

"Prince Phillip!?" Mal exclaimed.

"Don't seem so surprised. In those days, a lot of heroes came to taunt and torment their former enemies." Maleficent scowled. "In any case, it turns out the whelp was as enchanted by me as I was fascinated by him."

"Mother!" Mal hissed. "Don't tell me!"

"He thought he was such a brave, strong, man. Because he bedded the dragon queen of the fae while she was weak and helpless." Maleficent snarled, but she still kept an uncanny smile.

"He... he raped you?"

"No, but I let him think that." The woman cackled, truly cackled, for the first time in years.

"You see, my dear, in the Moorland, in Aurora's seat of power, princesses and queens have the misfortune of astonishingly low birth rates. Even though it has been long forgotten, a law is still on the books, the bastard law. Because of this ancient edict, any heir of the prince, no matter their heritage, can become a candidate for the throne."

"That's an amazingly stupid and convenient loophole, mother." Mal announced, not letting the butterflies in her stomach take hold. There was no way that was real. It was just a ploy by her mother to let her guard down. There was a possibility that Mal might be Phillip's child, but no way that made her a princess of his kingdom.

"Look it up for yourself, Mal." The sorceress rolled her eyes. "Oh wait, you can't! Because you're still stuck here on this miserable rock!"

With a quick jab of the staff to remind her mother who was in charge of a deadly weapon at the moment.

"Anything else I should know?" She asked.

"Yes, actually." Maleficent smirked. "In my nightstand, beside my bed at home, is a book, containing everything I know about the fae, and faerie culture. I was the last of a dying breed."

Mal choked back tears, fighting to reconcile the weak, broken woman before her as the monster who'd beaten her as a child. The woman she _still_ had nightmares about. Could she really kill her mother in cold blood, the last of the full-blooded unseelie?

"Well?" Maleficent scowled, glaring up at her daughter. "Kill me already, and stop your pitiful whining."

"You _want_ me to kill you!?" Mal sobbed, and the confusion and fury swirled around in her mind.

"I want you to be _strong_!" Maleficent countered.

"What- what if I can't?" Mal cried, and the mother batted aside the staff while her daughter was distracted. She wrapped pale fingers around the girl's throat.

"Then I will kill _you_ , instead. Imagine going back to your people as a failure, Mal? You can kill _their_ parents, but not your own?" The dark faerie smirked viciously. "They'll know your weakness. They'll lose faith in you, and your whole army will fall apart."

Even as her mother said it, Mal knew it was true, and that she couldn't let it happen. The faint dregs of her magic pulled at her fingertips, coalescing into static sparks that buzzed from her palms. She would not let her dream die in this place. It simply wasn't an option. As these thoughts of fire-bred determination echoed in her mind, Mal burst into flames.

Maleficent dropped her daughter like the ball of fire she was, and stepped back cautiously. Mal pulled her trusty knife from her pocket, and paced forward, towards her calm mother, who made no move to run, even as the flames began to dissipate and fade from Mal's body.

"You've killed plenty of fools in 'self defense', even if you started the fight." Maleficent spoke softly, softer than the girl had ever heard her."Now, you must kill one who refuses to fight back."

Silently, and with tears running down her face, Mal slit her mother's throat.

Then she sank to her knees and cried.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: While Auradon can't quite figure out what to do with Mal, our villain gang prepares for winter. Sea three fans: Uma arrives next chapter!
> 
> Contains: the same violent and gritty isle I've used throughout the story.

Once it was all over, Jay, Evie, and Carlos ran to the headmaster's office where they knew Mal had confronted their mother. Inside, they found a terrible sight. Mal kneeled on the ground above her mother's dead body, and she wept. Behind her, there was a huge scorch mark on the wall.

"Oh my gods, are you okay, Mal!?" Evie cried as she rushed to her girlfriend's side. "Are you hurt?"

"The blood isn't hers." Carlos answered, and no one questioned how he'd known that. The son of Cruella had always had a sixth-sense for this sort of thing.

"Listen, uh, I hate to break it to you guys, but we're attracting a crowd... Jay muttered, and closed the door on the encroaching kids who tried to peer past him.

"Mal, listen to me." Evie whispered. "I know this is hard for you, but you have to make a statement about what happened today."

"Why can't you do it?" Mal sobbed, crying on the princess' shoulder.

"You're the leader now. I'm sorry, but those kids out there need reassurance. They need you to tell them it's safe." Evie coaxed, before leading Mal in a deep-breathing exercise. Finally, the purple fairy released her tension, and dried her tears. She grasped Carlos' staff in one hand, and the dragon's eye in the other. With a signal to Jay, the door was opened, and Mal strode out to the crowds with a triumphant smile.

"Maleficent is dead!" She exclaimed, bloodstained and gory, and her army cheered.

Jay worked crowd control while Evie got Mal to the Dragon Hall bathrooms.

"What do you want us to do with the body?" Carlos asked, just before they disappeared into the girls' room.

"For now, pierce her heart with a long iron nail, and later, we'll burn her." Mal replied, and then they were gone, into the decrepit restrooms with their doorless stalls and graffiti-stained walls.

"That's awfully specific..." Evie noted, as she gently washed the blood and tears from her girlfriend's cheeks.

"I may not know much about my heritage, but I know that faeries are weak against iron, and the only way to make sure they're dead is through cremation." Mal answered, before she gave a bitter chuckle.

"I don't know about the whole staking thing, but it works for vampires, right? I just wanna make sure she doesn't come back before I burn the body."

Mal finished her answer, unaware that the magic barrier would keep her mother's latent magic at bay, and prevent her regeneration, unlike when Phillip stabbed her and left her alone in the very seat of fae power.

"Two bonfires so soon? We'll need to restock our wood for winter..." Evie muttered.

"I know..." Mal sighed. "Anyway, have you learned anything from the archives?"

"Actually, I have!" Evie grinned. "I've been reading this book about how to rule a nation, so that I can be your royal advisor."

"Thank evil someone is actually prepared for this." Mal muttered. "I may be powerful and ruthless, but I don't know crap about, like, management."

"Well... That's why you have us, Mal." Evie gave her a kiss on the now-clean cheek. "We've got your back."

• • •

"Sire, we have a problem on the Isle." Lumiere announced, presenting King Beast with a rolled scroll.

"What does it say, darling?" Belle asked, trying to read over her husband's shoulder.

"It says... There's been a shift in the balance of power on the Isle of the Lost. Maleficent has been overthrown by her daughter." Adam answered, not sure what to make of this new development.

"She's just sixteen, Adam- the same age as Ben!" Belle gasped, the thoughts practically visible as she puzzled out this information.

"She's old enough to slaughter her mother, apparently." Adam noted. The scroll had been sent by Yen Sid, their inside-man when it came to business on the isle. He hadn't even mentioned if the murder had been committed in cold blood, but apparently this was a breaking development, so he likely didn't have the full story yet.

"Dad? Mom? Is something wrong?" Ben emerged from the hallway in royal blue pajamas, with little gold crowns on the material.

"Son, we're going to have to put your little pet-project on hold." Adam replied with a regretful smile.

"You mean the plan to take some of the innocent kids from the Isle?"

"They're hardly innocent, Ben. We've just received word that Maleficent was murdered by her daughter, Mal." Adam answered, and missed his wife's cold gaze.

"We have to help her even more now!" Ben exclaimed. "Maybe she was being abused and she just snapped, or maybe it was self-defense! We can't just dismiss her with no evidence!"

"We're going to get more information as it comes, Ben." Belle soothed, and smiled comfortingly at her son.

"But you have to consider, son." Adam added. "Do you really care this much about a villain, or do you still believe she's the girl from your dreams?"

"You... you read that from my journal, didn't you...?" Ben asked, feeling more betrayed than he ever had before. Yes, he'd dreamed of Mal, and the first time he saw her in magical footage from the isle, he knew she was the girl from his dreams. This type of judgement was the very reason he didn't want to tell his father in the first place.

"I just wanted to see what you were thinking when you suggested we let villain kids into Auradon, son." King Beast tried to justify his reasoning, but Ben could barely hear it over the sound of his racing heart. His father, whom he trusted, had read his innermost thoughts and secrets, including his dreams about the girl who was almost certainly Maleficent's daughter.

It was an utter betrayal, and Ben didn't know how to handle it. Finally, he muttered the words: "Don't count her out just yet, father." Before he turned, and left the living room.

Pulling out his stationary, Prince Ben wrote the first of many letters, letters about what he would say to Mal when they finally met.

Mal. His dream girl.

• • •

"All hail Queen Mal! Long Live Evil!" The Dragon Army cried out in a loud cheer, as Mal emerged from the building with a wicked smirk. She'd designed and rehearsed the speech with Evie not ten minutes ago, and she crossed her fingers in the hopes of dispelling bad luck.

"Greetings, my army! You know by now, that Maleficent is dead, by my hand!" Mal exclaimed, promoting another cheer from the crowd. "This is the first blood of the reckoning, villains!"

At that, Mal scanned the assembled kids, and noted the presence of many who had told Evie about the abuse they had suffered. It was all recorded in their records book.

"One week from now, we will personally execute the people who hurt and mistreated you!" Mal announced, and stepped forward. "The parents who beat you, the caretakers who raped you! Your tormentors will be brought to justice!"

"Next week, we go to war." Mal announced with a soft smile. "But tonight, we celebrate."

With that, the speech was over, and the four stepped aside to begin the festivities.

"So, Evie, can I see that book with all the kids who joined today?" Mal asked, and her girlfriend nodded, returning a moment later with the composition notebook.

"Great job with the speech, Mal." Carlos grinned.

"It was all Evie." The fae replied, as she flipped through the records.

"We should keep a second book for our finances and assets." Jay mentioned. "It'll help us keep track of things."

"There's so much to do before winter." Evie sighed. "I want to make potions and sewing groups, to help with the workload. Everyone needs winter coats and blankets, and I need to gather the herbs we need to heal winter cold and flu."

"Approved!" Mal announced. "I never get tired of that."

"You know, I read in the library that in Auradon, they have a vaccine for influenza. Apparently no one's died from it in years on the mainland." Carlos muttered. Flu killed at least two or three babies a year. Apparently the elderly were at risk too, but no one on the Isle lived long enough to find out.

They all bitterly remembered the loss of Anne-Marie, Antoine's sister. Just a year older than Dizzy, she had died in the last big outbreak, and it might explain why Antoine and Daria were so protective of the youngest Tremaine.

"Jay, think you can scare up some more wood for warming the rooms this winter?" Mal asked, as she tried not to look at the funeral pyre where her mother burned.

"Um actually, Mal, I think we can tap into Dragon Hall's electrical grid, and use it to power miniature heaters, saving us the cost of wood." Carlos explained.

"Can you commission the materials you need for the project?" Evie asked him.

"Actually, I've been saving up for a while now." DeVil replied with a smirk.

"Approved!" Mal exclaimed in a mockingly snobby voice. "And now that the plotting's over, I'm going to go grab a drink. I'm not nearly drunk enough to deal with this."

Mal and Evie departed for the makeshift bar, and Jay exchanged a glance with the other boy.

"Dude, is it just me, or does Mal seem... Weird? Is she going to be okay?" Jay asked.

"She just killed her mother, Jay. Let her get trashed tonight."

"Yeah, you're right." he conceded. "Sometimes I forget what it's like."

"Offing your parent?"

"Yeah." Jay replied. "With the poison Evie made, I could just pretend Jafar was sick. Pretend it wasn't my fault as he wasted away."

The Agrabah teenager turned to his friend.

"Do you ever wish your old hag was dead?" Jay asked.

"Sometimes." Carlos replied. "It's easier now that I've been away for a couple years, but sometimes, I'll wake up, and hate her so much, remembering how she treated me."

The villain kids all knew what sins their friends' parents were guilty of, thanks to late nights cuddled in the same bed as one or all of them cried. They unanimously agreed that despite her constant criticisms and vanity, Evie got the better deal in the parent department. Cruella DeVil treated Carlos like a slave, and never failed to remind him of her utter disdain for her own son. She'd even whored him out as a child to get the money for new furs.

That said, no one knew much about Mal's mother, aside from the fact that she viewed her daughter as an insignificant mortal. They couldn't wrap their heads around why Mal was so torn up about killing her. Only Evie knew the truth.

"She was proud of me, E. Finally proud of me. All I had to do was murder her." Mal had whispered in the bathroom, as she prepared to gloat about her victory to the army. A victory that tasted bitter in her mouth.

"Maybe she was so mean to you so you'd grow a tough skin. You're stronger for it." Evie had suggested, and the thought occurred to her that perhaps, being on the isle had changed Maleficent. In an near-prophetic burst of knowledge, Evie realized that if Mal had been raised on the moors as her mother intended, perhaps she would have turned out very different.

"E? What's up?" Mal asked, pulling Evie from her thoughts as they stood by the drink table.

"I was just thinking. About all the things we have to get done." Evie lied, just a little. As much as she hated being dishonest with her girlfriend, she didn't want to worry Mal when she already had so much on her mind.

"It'll be fine. I know Jay's busy with his shop, but we're well equipped to handle things here." Mal grinned, and tapped her chin. "Who were you thinking to get for your potions class?"

"Maddie, Dizzy, and Ginny. Hildegard shows some promise as well. She's one of the children, a hereditary witch." Evie explained.

"Dizzy already knows how to find the herbs you need, right?" Mal asked.

"Yep. She can show the others, and we'll get it done a lot faster." The princess replied, and grinned when she saw Dizzy come bouncing up to them. "Well, speak of the devil."

"Hi guys!" Dizzy exclaimed, and hugged Evie around the waist.

"Enjoying yourself?" The princess asked her surrogate sister.

"Of course! I'm teaching Claudine how to dance!" The Tremaine girl explained. "In thanks for bringing the drinks, of course."

Michael had traded Claudine some of his own distilled liquor, in exchange for some of her father's old things. She'd gathered her valuables on the day Mal killed him, before the looters arrived.

"Anyway, I have a question." Dizzy asked, looking up at Evie with wide eyes. "Claudine was showing me her rosary, and she explained how she's Catholic, and believes in God, even after all the bad things that happened to her."

"And?" Evie offered, not really sure where this was going.

"And well, I was wondering, is God really real?" Dizzy asked, wrinkling her eyebrows in disbelief.

Evie wasn't really certain about how to answer that.

"Well," she finally began, "I suppose it depends on what you believe. I was raised to believe in the old gods of Germania, because in that kingdom, we witches believe that the god Odin gave us our magic."

"Would I be a bad villain if I wanted to believe in something?" Dizzy asked earnestly.

"No, I don't think so." Evie replied. "Sometimes you need to believe in something to get through the day. A higher power, that is."

"You told me what you were raised to believe, but do you think it's true?" The girl asked next.

"Well... I suppose my magic and the knowledge to create potions has to come from somewhere, but I don't pray to Odin, or any of the Germanic gods." The princess explained, as Mal and Dizzy listened with interest.

"Then, what do you believe in?" The girl asked.

"I... I believe in Mal." Evie whispered. "She's always been there for me, and no matter what, I know she'll make things better. That's why I love her."

Dizzy nodded firmly in understanding, as Mal's eyes watered (from the fire and the moonshine, not tears, she wasn't weak), and she wrapped Evie in a tight hug.

"Thanks for believing in me." The fairy whispered.

• • •

The day after the celebration, Mal began prepping her troops for what they would be doing next week.

"Round-up crew! Front and center!" She announced, and several of the stronger boys came up to the front. "Your job is to track down the creeps on your assigned lists, and get them to the market square in one piece."

"Pardon, but if we intend to kill them anyway, why do we have to drag them all the way there?" Antoine asked, with barely concealed annoyance.

"Because I want to make an example of them." Mal explained. "This way, it'll discourage others from committing the same crimes."

The Tremaine boy nodded. He was stuck up, sometimes, but he wasn't stupid. It was a good plan.

"Now, attack formation!" Mal shouted, and the soldiers moved into position. At first, no one was really keen on following Mal's orders (because villains are vain, and old habits die hard), but Mal reminded them that she was the one who liberated them, who kept them warm and fed, and she was the one who killed Maleficent. After that, no one really wanted to question her.

Meanwhile, inside Dragon Hall, Evie and Carlos were dividing up their new students.

"Anyone who's interested in building things, come over here!" Carlos announced, and directed the kids to several desks, covered with parts.

"And anyone who wants to sew things, follow me!" Evie called out, and gathered her own horde of children to the other side of the room, where she had sewing materials.

Together, they showed their new students the basics of the crafts, and Carlos' group began assembling heaters, while Evie's group began sewing quilts. Once the children had grasped the basics, the older two went around and fixed minor mishaps.

"Oh no, it's alright. Your fabric is just tucked under itself."

"No, no, B gets welded to C, like that."

These and other gentle reminders echoed throughout the room, amidst the sound of giggles and gossip. Carlos had discovered an old copier machine in the back of the library, and had made copies of his hand-drawn blueprints for his group of young engineers.

Evie had used the copier too, to create the class-schedules she handed out at breakfast that morning. Altogether, they had five classes.

Inventing and Sewing with Evie and Carlos in the morning, which all kids under fifteen were required to attend. Basic Training with Mal was the equivalent class for those over fifteen, as they were the soldiers of the Dragon Army.

After that, there were two optional classes: potions with Evie, and History with Yen Sid. Carlos also supervised the library at this time, because even though they agreed the library should be open to all, it was a rule that people wanting to borrow books should be required to sign them out, so the four would know who to look for if something went missing.

After that, it was lunchtime, and Jay always locked up his shop around then, and came by to supervise and direct the cooking process, which was carried out by a team of goblins who'd sworn themselves to Mal after her mother was killed. The four made a habit of eating lunch together, and just like at every meal, they had a habit of plotting while they ate.

After lunch, the children would be let loose to do as they pleased until dinner. Sometimes Carlos would work in the library, and sometimes he'd lock it up. If anyone needed something from the supply room, they had to ask one of the four. After working so hard to reduce waste, and gather all this crap, Mal wasn't going to let anyone just waltz in and take what they wanted.

After dinner, came curfew, and no one was allowed to sneak around outside the school. If you were outside when the building was locked, you stayed out all night. That rule was mostly in place to make sure no one caused trouble at night, or let intruders in. Mal was surprisingly strict when it came to discipline.

At first, it was hard to get all the kids and teenagers to care about the rules. The younger kids enjoyed going to class because they didn't have anything better to do, but the older kids were a different story. On the second day, Mal had half her class size show up to Basic Training. She kept a list of the no-shows, and told the kitchen staff to make sure they didn't get lunch or dinner, and to make sure they knew why. The next day, she had most of the class in attendance and the day after that, all of them.

Being a leader wasn't so hard after all, Mal thought. A week after she'd killed her mother, and the entire compound was running smoothly. Barge days were a holiday, with no classes or chores, and the kitchen goblins had the day off too.

It was good that everything was going so well, because after the Day of Reckoning, all the obstacles began popping up.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Some interesting opinions come up in this chapter about how Mal is more masculine like a father figure, where Evie is a mother figure. I want the readers to know that I don't really believe gender roles or parenting roles are so cut and dry. The opinions expressed here are because of Mal's own opinions and biases as I write them, not the opinions of me, the author!
> 
> Contains: The same dark isle we know from this au, including rough situations, starvation, and Isle Negotiations. Also includes a cute Jaylos moment though ;)

"What the _fuck_ happened here." Mal commanded, and her troupe of thieves looked guiltily down at the floor. At a nudge from Evie, she added, "I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at the idiot who beat you up. Messing with my subordinates is messing with me, and I had no idea anyone would doubt my power enough to go after you."

"A massive breach of respect..." Dizzy muttered, and Evie thanked the stars that her surrogate sister had only suffered bruised ribs and a black eye.

"It was Uma's crew." Ginny muttered, nursing a sprained arm and the same bleeding cuts that everyone had. "They took us by surprise, never saw it coming."

"That bitch used divide-and-conquer tactics," Another thief noted. "She got us separated, and we came back with nothing."

"That's going to be a problem." Mal frowned, going through the options in her head. "You're all dismissed now. Evie, you know what to do."

Mal left the room, with Evie tending the wounded. In times like these, Yzla always worked as her assistant, and got the patients fixed up sooner. Minutes later, Evie rushed back out to follow Mal.

"You okay, M?" She asked, quickly entwining their fingers.

"No, I'm not okay. Who does that little shrimp think she is? She has no right to take what's ours. She hasn't earned it, like we have." The little Maleficent growled. The two girls headed outside the building, aiming for Jay's Junk Shop, to convene with their lieutenants Jay and Carlos.

"Hey, good news Mal!" The white-haired boy exclaimed when the girls walked in. His excitement was short-lived, however, when he saw the look on his leader's face. "Or... not."

"Hi Carlos." Evie smiled sympathetically. "We can talk about your good news after we're done plotting."

"Did someone say plotting?" Jay smirked, emerging from behind the counter.

"Uma attacked our last barge crew." Mal explained quickly, cutting right to the point, and the heaviness of that statement sunk right to everyone's stomachs.

"Didn't you send an escort?" Jay asked, knowing full well that they'd trained plenty of young men for that purpose.

"Didn't help. Uma's gotten her hands on swords and cutlasses, apparently, and everyone got pretty cut up in the skirmish." Evie replied, going off of the things she'd heard while patching up the victims.

"Seriously?" Carlos exclaimed. "Where'd they come from?"

"Maybe it was one of Hook's stashes?" Jay offered. "I heard he kept a few around after his exile."

"In any case, we _need_ those supplies for winter. We have kids who depend on us." Mal muttered darkly. She and Evie had really taken to those children after the Day of Reckoning, that day, not too long ago, when she'd personally killed forty-seven people who had been charged with criminal neglect, and what the Auradonians would call felony child abuse.

Those children had come to view Evie as a mother-figure, an angel who comforted them when they failed, who fed them and clothed them, and bandaged their wounds. Mal was like a father-figure, despite the fact that she was very, very female. She was the protector, the one who taught them to fight, and enforced structure into their lives, and Mal couldn't let them down. She _couldn't_.

"Obviously, we need to get those supplies back." Mal growled.

"And we need to knock Uma down a peg, while we're at it." Jay added.

"What's the plan?" Carlos asked, curiously. "Are we gonna wipe them out?"

"Machiavelli says that men must be either treated well, or crushed." Evie commented, loosely quoting the Corona book she'd been reading lately.

"I don't want to crush Shrimpy." Mal explained. "Knowing her, she'll just find a way to bounce back twice as hard."

"So negotiation it is, then." The blue princess sighed.

"Ah, but we have to make sure we hold the upper hand." Jay mused. "We have to make her an offer she can't refuse."

"So... First, we need motivation. Did Uma raid the barge because she needed that stuff, or because she wanted to spite me?" Mal asked, mostly talking to herself.

"We _have_ been taking a lot from the barges lately..." Evie noted.

"But the pirates don't need the food like we do. They always fish off their boats, or on the docks." Carlos pointed out.

"If she just wanted to spite you, there's not much we can do, Mal." Jay added his own opinion to the mix. "That's both reckless and pointless. She's just going to get worse until we put her down like a rabid dog."

"But then we'd have to kill Harry and Gil, too. If any of the core leadership survives, they'll just remobilize for revenge." Mal groaned, and flopped onto Jay's lumpy, patched couch. "Ugh. Why is ruling an army so damn difficult? It's _haaaard_."

"That's what she said." Jay muttered, sarcastically.

"Um, yeah? Mal said that just now." Carlos deadpanned, not understanding the joke.

"Oh, Carlos. My sweet, innocent DeVil..." Jay chuckled. "I have much to teach you in the way of lewd jokes."

Evie glanced at the two with a faint smile. It seemed like they were getting closer, and she secretly wondered if something was going on between them.

"Okay." Mal sighed. "What's the best way to get Uma's attention for a meeting?

"Gil." The other three immediately replied. It was no secret that Uma and Harry had a soft spot for the youngest son of Gaston. It had long been rumored that the three of them were an item, but no one could say for sure. All they knew was that if they snatched (the relatively terrible fighter) Gil LeGume, they'd be all set for a showdown, with a hostage on the line.

"Jay - can you supply the weapons? We can't go up against Uma unarmed." Mal asked, adding her second sentence for clarification.

"What about your magic?" Carlos asked, remembering the pool of blood and the magic runes, and the Mal-shaped scorch mark in the headmaster's office.

"The tricks I did as a kid, minor sleep charms and stuff, probably won't have any affect on Uma. As a half-Atlantean, she has a high resistance to most magic. And that serious stuff I used on mom..." Mal trailed off, before swallowing hard. "I... still don't know how I did that."

"Don't sweat it, Mal." Jay replied earnestly, simply, patting her on the back.

"Right!" Evie added, wrapping her girlfriend in a warm hug. "We can just do this the old fashioned way!"

"For our army..." Mal noted, putting her hand out.

"For our subjects." Evie added, clasping her hand over Mal's.

"For respect." Jay added his own creed, and stacked his larger, tanned hand over the girls' fingers.

"For us." Carlos finished, looking at the other three young villains, to whom he owed his life. To Mal, who took him in, and fought for him until he was strong enough to fight for himself. To Evie, who called herself his sister, and loved him unconditionally. To Jay, who loved him to the moon and back, but not in the same way Evie did, Jahid Jafarson, who was his best friend, the other half of his soul.

They would win. There was no way a team such as theirs could ever lose.

• • •

"Come on out, Shrimpy!" Mal shouted at the barge, flanked on either side by her most trusted friends. Gil was pushed along in front of her, with a knife to his throat. His hands were bound behind his back, and his feet were shackled close enough that he could just shuffle along, and had no hope to escape by running.

"We have your little boy-toy, Uma!" Evie added in a sinister purr.

When Uma and Harry finally emerged from their cabin and headed to the deck, Mal noticed they both looked like death.

"What have you done to him!?" The daughter of Ursula screamed, while Harry literally growled, like a wild animal.

"I just wanna have a nice calm discussion, Uma. Come out peacefully, and Gil won't get hurt." Mal explained, as a wicked grin crept across her face. "Try any funny business, and I give your boy a new red necklace."

Carlos dragged a finger across his throat, for effect, and pulled out that crazed expression that drove enemies to terror. Naturally, Carlos wasn't _really_ homicidal, but image was everything, and his mother was a sickeningly good teacher, at least where crazy was concerned.

"Fine, I'll talk." Uma conceded. "Only if Harry gets to come too."

"Fine, but leave your crew on board!" Mal ordered, and watched as the two pirates shimmied down the side of their boat to the docks.

"Give him back!" The daughter of Ursula shouted, lunging for Gil. Mal pulled him back, while Jay stepped between them.

"Ah- ah! Not until we talk." Evie chided, teasingly, with her trademark grin.

"H-hi, guys!" Gil added, unhelpfully.

"Why did you attack my shipment, Uma?" Mal asked. "You know I'm stronger than you. Did you think I wouldn't retaliate?"

"You don't _have_ any power, Mal." Uma snarled with venom. "You got lucky once with your mom, and I can take you."

"Even if I don't have any magic, which I do, by the way, I still have enough power to murder Gil in front of you if you don't give me what I want!" Mal threatened. She had no desire to kill Gil LeGume, and probably wouldn't, but Uma didn't have to know that.

"Just tell 'er the damn truth, Uma!" Harry muttered, elbowing his captain.

"I won't show weakness, Harry!" Uma growled back, and Jay simply shook his head.

"You already are, Uma." The Agrabah teen noted. "You two look like death."

"Something's poisoned the fish." Harry murmured, and the dark circles under his eyes were more prominent than ever. "We can't eat them, and now we're starving. One of our crew's already died from the tainted fish, and two more from starvation."

"Oh... oh my..." Evie murmured, going into healer-mode instantly. Uma had her arms crossed over her chest, but they trembled, when faced with the truth of her weakness. How could Mal help, without also seeming weak?

"I think we can make a deal." Mal ventured, and handed Gil off to Jay. Carlos stepped up next to his leader, because he had history with Harry, even if that history was merely selling him contraband cigarettes as a child.

"In exchange for services, we can let you have a cut of the barge shipments." Carlos explained.

"We're independent. I don't wanna be part of your little goody-goody project." Uma spat.

"I wouldn't do anything to put your sovereignty at risk." Mal explained. "Evil knows, we all deserve to make our own way in the world after what our parents put us through."

"So what d'ya want from us?" Harry asked, warily raising an eyebrow.

"What are you willing to do for food and medical services?" Carlos offered.

"We have need of enforcers." Mal noted. "People who can keep order around the isle."

"And you wouldn't be subservient to us," Evie explained. "It would be an equal trade of resources. You keep the peace in Mal's name, and she gives you food and medicine in return."

"We should take the deal, Uma." Harry whispered, even though his captain looked torn. "We're in no place to argue with them!"

"Fine!" Uma glared. "I don't like it, but I really don't have much of a choice. What do you want us to do?"

"First, let Jay onto your ship, to show you how to optimize the food you have. Hell, you can even keep the food you stole, but I'm gonna have to confiscate the non-food items." Mal explained the terms of their contract.

"Fine. We don't need garbage anyway." Uma smirked.

"Next, I want you to handle disciplinary matters here on the isle, and keep a log of everything you do. We can provide a log-book, if you don't have one."

"The ship's log'll work okay." Harry suggested, to Uma's thoughtful nod.

"I'll send a delegate each month to check your log. If everything adds up, you keep getting benefits. If something smells... fishy, I reserve the right to revoke those benefits, and you go back to starving." Mal smirked.

"Sounds fair." Uma conceded,regretfully, as she extended her hand. "I swear by my reputation as a villain that I'll uphold my end of the bargain."

It was a common oath on the Isle, because no one trusted a villain's word, and reputation was all they had to go on. Uma might be rotten and ruthless, but she was known for keeping her word. So Mal shook the pirate's hand, and Gil was untied and handed over. Behind them, the waves broke against the shore, and the dim glow of Auradon could be seen beyond the waves.

"So how do you suggest we enforce your rules?" Uma asked, once Gil was safely back on board, led to the ship by a wary Hook.

"After your crew is back in shape, I'll send over a list of the laws I want to establish." Mal explained. "I want to rule the Isle with an iron fist, something my mother could never accomplish."

"Fair enough." Uma noted, rolling her eyes at her next statement. "Even with the damn trident, my mom could never really rule a kingdom. Our parents are real idiots when it comes to long-term planning."

"Isn't it nice to have an ally who actually knows what she's doing?" Evie added, and even though Uma would never, ever, _ever_ , admit it out loud, she knew she'd made the right choice.

She'd gotten reports about how well Mal handled her own little corner of the kingdom, and she admired that. Also, her crew wouldn't be starving anymore, and policing the island would be a small price to pay for that. After all, Uma's crew was highly trained, but all they ever did was skirmish with other crews. Maybe this would be a nice change of pace.

"Just one more question." Mal added. "Why did you attack my envoy, instead of any of the easier targets on the barges?"

"The merchants have beefed up security lately. It's been harder and harder for my gang to slip by, and people on the isle are having it harder too."

"She's right." Jay noted. "Everyone's been driving up prices, since we take our cut."

"That's ridiculous. We shouldn't be taking enough supplies to change price!" Evie exclaimed.

"You're right, honestly," Carlos sighed. "But what do you expect from Isle merchants?"

"Ugh... I'm gonna have to do this 'ruling' thing on a large scale, aren't I?" Mal sighed.

• • •

"Hear ye, hear ye!" Dizzy Tremaine announced in the coward's market, a simple piece of lined paper in hand. "I have an announcement from Mal: Maleficent the second! Slayer of the Dragon, Ruler of Dragon Hall!" The little girl announced, and others stopped what they were doing to listen. No one wanted to get on the bad side of the sixteen year old who killed the Mistress of all Evil, along with forty-seven people on the Day of Reckoning.

"Mal wishes to enforce order among her subjects!" Dizzy exclaimed, reading off of the list. "In order to keep the peace, the following crimes are now illegal: the beating of a spouse, child, or other dependent. The deliberate starvation of a spouse, child, or other dependant. The murder of any person. The preceding crimes will be prosecuted at the discretion of Uma's crew, who should be treated with the respect of any of Mal's allies."

Dizzy then reached into her bag, and pulled out sheaves of paper. "Anyone who is unclear, is free to take a copy of the new Isle Constitution."

She handed out page after page of the new agreements written up by Mal. It was in small print, so that each page could hold the entirety of the new constitution, which contained much more than just the new laws. The people who picked up the pages to look, would have seen something roughly like this:

**Constitution** **of** **The** **Isle of The Lost**

_Let_ _it_ _hereby_ _be_ _known, that_ _every_ _man woman and child within Mal's Jurisdiction, is_ _entitled_ _to_ _the_ _following_ _rights:_

1\. The right to food, water, and medical care, with the understanding that _everyone_ seeking aid will render payment for that aid. This payment might include service (such as small jobs, janitorial work, etc.), supplies (food, recycled goods, etc.), or money.

2\. The right to come to any member of Uma's crew, or Mal's court with a complaint. If someone is being beaten or abused, they may come to lodge an accusation, which will be investigated. If someone requires assistance, they may come and ask for it, with no charge, save for the abovementioned payment.

3\. The right to an investigation and fair punishment, as detailed below:  
\- If anyone is found guilty of neglect, abuse, or a similar crime, their dependent shall be taken away, and they shall receive no harsher punishment than hard labor, or similar abuse as that inflicted.  
\- If anyone is found guilty of murder, they shall receive a death sentence at the hands of their victim's next of kin.  
\- If anyone is found guilty of rape, they shall be punished with hard labor, and nothing less. If that person is guilty of the rape or trafficking of a _child_ , they shall receive nothing less than the death penalty.  
\- If anyone is found not-guilty of the crime of which they were accused, that person should be released, free of harm from the court.

4\. Children under ten and pregnant mothers have the right to accept aid from the Dragon Court, with no payment rendered, _except_ for classes taken at Dragon Hall (including basic cooking skills, rationing skills, and other skills which will improve the life of the student).

_This is the will of Mal Bertha Morgana, Mistress of All Evil, Villain of Villains, and Queen of the Dragon Court. So she has commanded, so it shall be!_


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: In this chapter, our kids finally catch a break and get to relax for a while. We check back in with Auradon, and finally get a Mevie Proposal!
> 
> P.S: It's weird to figure out terms of endearment for Isle kids who are still under the pretense of being evil.
> 
> Contains: A frank discussion of abortion and teen pregnancy. Also, I have literally no idea about the Tangled/Frozen timelines as they relate to each other, so take the years Rapunzel and Elsa say with a grain of salt...

It was the beginning of a new age. While it wasn't strictly against the law, Uma's crew did a good job of harassing merchants into keeping their prices down. The system was now in place for those who needed help to get it, and those who still hurt the weakest among them, despite Mal's example, were able to be dealt with. Finally, they could relax, and hunker down for the winter. Life went on as usual in Dragon Hall, including medical appointments.

"So, what brings you here today?" Evie asked, glancing over at Ginny Gothel, who sat on a chair in Evie's impromptu apothecary shop. It was an abandoned classroom, with shelves made from old crates and boxes, and used plastic bottles filled with potions and poisons.

"I think I caught a stomach bug." Ginny explained, running a hand over her stomach. "I throw up a lot now, especially in the mornings. I can't eat certain foods without feeling sick, too."

"Any other symptoms I should know about?" Evie asked, as she used her homemade stethoscope (designed by Carlos, of course).

"Um, yeah. Like, I have headaches a lot, and pains in my feet and ankles, which I've never had to deal with before." The girl explained, and for her to be admitting weakness like this, must have meant she was afraid. Even the gentlest of Isle kids still had trouble admitting they were sick, or hurt. Often their parents had punished them for it.

"Ginny, has it occurred to you that you might be pregnant?" Evie ventured. She couldn't be sure about that diagnosis, but it was something to consider.

"Oh no. No no no." Ginny muttered, eyes wide. "I _cannot_ be pregnant!"

"Why not?" Evie asked, earnestly. She had the necessary potions to administer abortions, of course, and had already done so for one very young girl who was the victim of rape, and likely wouldn't survive the pregnancy. She didn't like doing it though, and it wasn't a painless process. But if Ginny Gothel _truly_ wasn't ready to have a child, Evie certainly wouldn't force her to.

"I- I can't support a kid, Evie." Ginny confided, rubbing her stomach anxiously.

"Didn't you hear Mal's proclamation? Pregnant mothers can get all the benefits of our system without being on work detail. You and the child will be cared for."

"But I don't know how to raise a kid! My mom literally just popped me out of her vagina and then gave me a chore list as soon as I was old enough to hold a mop!" The dark-haired Gothel girl shouted, eyes wide and afraid.

"You'll be a great mother, Ginny. Besides, you aren't alone. You have Antoine and Daria to help support you. They have experience with younger siblings already, and it isn't that different." Evie calmly explained, with her gentlest smile. "We have plenty of books in the library, and I'm sure some of them talk about raising children."

"I... I guess I never thought about it that way..." The teenager admitted. "The Tremaines have always protected me before, and now I have ample food and I'm sure I can get prenatal care..."

"But we need to make sure you're fully aware of your situation and your options, okay?" Evie added gently. "A child is a huge time sink. They're high-maintenance for the first few years, and they get into everything. You won't have as much time for yourself anymore, and that responsibility sticks around for years to come."

"So... are you _certain_ there isn't anything else it could be?" The girl asked hopefully.

"Sorry, Ginny. I'd actually treat it the same way, even if you were pregnant." Evie smiled sympathetically, and reached into her tea-box for some packages.

"What are these?" Ginny asked, staring at the odd little pouches.

"Teas for your symptoms. Take the ginger tea for your morning sickness (that's the teabag marked with a 'Gi'), and take the chamomile tea ('Ch') for your aches and pains. It should also stimulate your appetite so you can eat without getting nauseous."

"Thanks Evie." Ginny smiled, and gave the apothecary witch a hug. "I know it's not strictly villainous to say, but this... means a lot to me."

"I can't tell you for sure whether or not you're really pregnant, or if you should keep the baby. But I _can_ say for certain that I want you to be informed of all your options. I don't want you to take _any_ path you'll regret." Evie smiled, and then added with a wink: "I won't tell, if you won't!"

This was the way things went on the Isle. Uma told Harry she loved him by leaning on him in times of need, because no child of the Isle had ever said "I love you". Evie threatened the pirates who'd jeopardized their supply run, then turned around and hugged a girl who might be pregnant. Mal defended the downtrodden with her life, and all her fury, and she was the girl who had killed her own mother, who had slit Maleficent's throat, and knelt in her blood. The girl who slaughtered forty-seven child abusers in one day, and held high the severed head of Claude Frollo.

It was the way of the Isle, where they showed their love through blood and oaths, and swearing on old, forgotten gods.

• • •

"So, now that all the major crises have been settled, and we're all prepared for winter... What should we do now?" Mal asked in a low purr, as she and Evie cuddled together under a quilt, in front of one of Carlos' awesome heaters.

"Mmm... besides spending time with you, I've been reading." Evie replied, and a little black cat came up to them, hopping into her lap.

As it turns out, the 'great news' Carlos was ready to tell them on the day they found out about Uma, was really great indeed. First, he'd perfected the wind-powered generator he'd invented so long ago, back when he still lived in the mausoleum. Now it was integrated into Dragon Hall's power grid, and assured that they wouldn't lose power this winter.

Secondly, Beelzebub had finally had her kittens. Evie had taken one of them as a familiar (because her mother's spell book insisted that a witch should have one, and she'd be damned before she used her mother's vultures), and named the little kitten Circe, after the witch named in the Odyssey. The little darling loved cuddling up with Evie, and occasionally Mal, and she seemed to be easily trainable, which was a good quality in a familiar.

All in all, it was shaping up to be a very comfortable winter.

"I've been reading my mother's notes in her journal about the faeries," Mal explained, eager to use her downtime with Evie to discuss her new findings. "Apparently faeries, Moorfolk at least (my mother's tribe), have a god and goddess. Oberon and Titania are King and Queen of the fae. Puck is Oberon's cupbearer, and a trickster figure, while Mab is the bringer of dreams and madness."

"Do you think they're real?" Evie asked, idly petting Circe as she mused. Recently, her conversation with Dizzy about belief and religion had gotten her thinking.

"I don't know. I'm learning more every day though." Mal answered, with a wistful look on her face. "Apparently same-sex relationships are not uncommon among faeries. Puck and Oberon were known to flirt with each other, and many faerie women fell in love with other women, and kidnapped human babies to raise as their own, because certain tribes thought their males had defective genes."

"Oh, I remember that!" Evie exclaimed. "Mother used to tell me stories about changelings, the glamoured faerie elderly who would be disguised as babies and traded out for human children!"

"It sounds ludicrous now, but I wonder if my people ever did all that? You know, baby-snatching and stuff..." Mal asked, looking, feeling, and sounding unsure.

"I don't know..." Evie replied honestly. "But I know _you've_ never kidnapped babies, Mal."

"I think the buckets of orphans running around here would beg to differ."

"Shush!" Evie replied with a giggle. "There's a difference between snatching babies and rescuing abused children. Besides, I think the 'orphan' qualifier means you're justified in baby snatching them."

Circe purred contentedly, as if in agreement, and Evie scratched behind her ears.

"So what about you?" Mal offered. "Now that you've finished _The Prince_ , what's next on the reading list?"

"I've been reading a book about modern application of chemistry in state-of-the-art pharmaceuticals."

"Um, you lost me at, like, all of it." Mal shrugged sympathetically.

"That's okay." Evie giggled, wrapping her girlfriend in a hug. "Advanced chemistry isn't your thing, my poison apple. I don't think any less of you for it.".

• • •

So, uh... Whatcha workin' on?" Jay asked, peering over Carlos' shoulder, to see nothing but a seemingly random assortment of parts.

"I'm working on a device that will let us tap into Auradon's television stations." Carlos explained.

"Oh, sweet. It sucks to watch the Dungeon Shopping Network all day." The young man from Agrabah answered.

"Yeah. I got the idea from the TV Guide I found in the library. Apparently there are a lot of shows on the mainland I've never even heard of before!" Carlos explained with excitement.

"I'm kind of eager to see Tourney in action, after reading about it in the old magazines you showed me." Jay added wistfully. The one kitten Carlos kept from the last litter began to rub around Jay's legs. Keeping with the classical demon themes, Carlos named this one Astaroth.

"So uh, you planning on staying down here all night?" Jay asked, indicating the garage around him.

"I'm too busy to sleep right now," Carlos replied, absently flipping through his book of schematics. "I have to finish the water heater before I get to the satellite box."

The white-haired teen didn't even notice Jay leave, until he came back moments later, with a plate of sandwiches and water.

"Well, if you insist on working late, you can at least stay fed and hydrated." Jay explained as he set the plate in front of Carlos with a grin.

"Wow! All this for me? You shouldn't have, dude..." Carlos crowed, quickly digging in. The lettuce was a bit wilted, and the meat had to be seared to get rid of bacteria, but Carlos DeVil was totally in love at that moment.

"No one but you ever brought me food when I forgot dinner... This is the second time you've done it, now."

"Clearly, no one knows what it's like to feed a tiny genius." Jay retorted, and was totally swept away when Carlos pulled him into a kiss.

"Thank you, Jay." The DeVil boy whispered when he broke away, while Jay simply stared, blushing deeply.

"I should bring you stuff more often..."

• • •

"So, you wanted to talk about the Isle?" Rapunzel asked, sitting across the table from her cousin, Elsa, as they met in Arendelle. By her side was Cassandra, newly appointed Captain of the Guard after her father's death. She loved Eugene, she really did, but he was a real dunce when it came to war and politics.

"Yes. Thank you for coming, Rapunzel. You haven't been attending the Isle council, have you?" Elsa asked gently, getting straight to the point.

"No. It was my parents' decision to send Gothel to the Isle." Rapunzel explained. "While I usually handle diplomatic meetings between Corona and Auradon, my mother and father believe I'm not ready to deal with real villains..."

"Despite the fact that she has an advanced perspective, having married one." The guard captain added playfully.

"Probably _because_ I married one." Rapunzel giggled, before becoming serious again. "Why do you ask, Elsa?"

"Well firstly, since I decided not to send Hans to The Isle of The Lost, I had to fight for a place on the council, and I have little say in what happens. I can speak, and get others to change their minds, but my vote doesn't count for much." Elsa explained.

A servant came by and poured tea for the two princesses, while Cassandra held up a hand and requested coffee instead.

"Why is the council seat so important to you?" Rapunzel asked, carefully sipping her beverage. After the last burned-tongue diplomatic-incident, she'd been a lot more careful around hot drinks.

"Well, I want to see the character of Auradon, for one thing," Elsa explained. "How they act around me is quite different from how they treat the worst among them."

"Can you tell me, Cassandra, the purpose of the Corona prison system?" Elsa directed her next question to the esteemed guard.

"Rehabilitation, of course." Cass explained. "Some of the worst criminals are kept in the dungeons for life, but petty thieves and misdemeanor criminals are shown a better way of life, so that when they leave the prison, they won't go right back to criminal activity."

"That's how my husband got out of his prison sentence, actually." Rapunzel explained. "He proved he was done being a thief when he brought me and my crown back home, and didn't ask for anything in return."

"There was no reason to put him in jail, because he was already rehabilitated, and ready to reenter society." Cassandra finished the thought her princess had started

"Woo-hoo! No stealing for six years now!" Rapunzel added, a bit loudly. Anyone in the room could tell how proud she was.

"No dangerous ice-related accidents for _five_ years now!" Elsa added more quietly, clearly still ashamed of the events at her coronation, half a decade ago.

"Pardon me, Princess, but what was the point of your question?" Cass interrupted as politely as possible. Keeping her girlfriend from going off on tangents was practically in her job description, and once you got her talking about Eugene's no-theft track record, it was hard to reel her back in.

"Ah, yes." Elsa cleared her throat, and got her mind back on track. "I asked about Corona's prison system, because we in Arendelle have a similar program. But apparently in Auradon, they do things differently."

"Differently?" Rapunzel asked, tilting her head in question.

"Right. Apparently, the old families who founded Auradon: the Beasts, the Roses, the Whites, the Charmings, all still use the archaic dungeon methods." Elsa explained.

"You mean 'out-of-sight out-of-mind, throw them in the dungeon' methods?" Cassandra asked, clearly confused, and Rapunzel shared her confusion.

"But actual dungeons have been out of fashion for years!" Rapunzel added. "I think they're actually illegal in the capital?"

"Dungeons are illegal alright." Elsa nodded bitterly. "That's why no one calls them dungeons anymore. The dungeon of United Auradon goes by a much nicer name."

"Isle of The Lost." Cassandra answered quietly, glancing over to her princess, who looked a little confused. "What allows them to bypass the Dungeon Act of 1860?"

She referred of course, to a treaty signed at the founding of Auradon by all founding houses, including newer royal houses like Aladdin's and Mulan's. It was an act that officially outlawed torture, cruel and unusual punishments, and the act of tossing someone in a dungeon to die.

"They specifically zoned the Isle as _an_ _independent_ _nation_ , and categorized the movement of criminals in nicer language." Elsa explained, to growing expressions of horror from her guests. "Instead of saying 'We threw Maleficent in a dungeon, with garbage to eat', they say 'We removed Maleficent to a newly independent nation, funded by donations of the Isle Council.'"

"But that's... that's not telling the full truth! Is that why all my parents' subjects think we were so gracious to send Gothel to the Isle?" Rapunzel asked, still a little shocked, and clearly trying to recover her thoughts.

"It's possible..." Cassandra answered, before wrapping Rapunzel in a hug, not caring that Elsa could see. The Ice Queen actually seemed like the sanest ally in Auradon, right now.

"It.. it gets worse, but I won't go into detail." Elsa mercifully smiled. "Instead of talking about the ethics of an independent nation of criminals, I'm just going to ask for a big favor."

"What do you need, cousin?" Rapunzel asked.

"You _need_ to replace your parents on the Isle Council." Elsa explained, with a fire in her eyes that was equally strong as the ice in her blood. "I need an ally among the high table."

• • •

"Hey! Watch your step, peasant!" Antoine Tremaine shouted at the girl he'd bumped into, only to backpedal when he realized she was _Mal_. "I... I'm sorry. Terribly sorry. I thought you were someone else."

"Got a lot on your mind, Tremaine?" Mal replied teasingly, seeing that they were headed for the same shelf: _Self-Help & Psychology_.

"Yes, actually. While you're here, do you mind letting me sign out a book, Commander?" The young man asked, pulling out a copy of _What_ _to_ _Expect_ _When_ _You're_ _Having_ _a_ _Baby_.

The older kids who'd survived her soldier's boot camp (a figure of speech, no one actually died), had taken to calling Mal _Commander_ , which she thought had suited her better than 'your Highness,' or 'Madame', or any other weird titles she didn't feel like she'd earned or wanted.

"Sure. Although I didn't think guys could get knocked up." Mal teased, pulling open the sign-out book, where she wrote the title, date, and borrower's name, leaving space for Antoine to sign.

"Haha, quite _original_..." Antoine rolled his eyes while he gave his signature. "It isn't for me, Mal. It's for Ginny."

"In that case, congratulations dude!" Mal announced, clapping him on the back. "Do you have any names yet?"

"Actually, we aren't quite sure if Ginny's... _ahem_ , in the _family_ _way_ yet, but it's probable. Best to be prepared and all that." Antoine explained, quickly changing the subject to something less awkward. "And you? What did I distract _you_ from?"

"Oh, I was just picking up a psychology book for Evie. I'm actually headed over to a different section now. See you later, Tremaine." Mal explained politely, before showing him out. It wasn't like she had anything to hide, but she didn't really want him to see her copy of _Weddings_ _for Dummies_ , because she'd never live it down.

She wasn't lying about going to a different section though. There weren't many law books on the Isle, but she managed to find a notebook pasted full of newspaper clippings concerning the Isle, and that would have to be enough for now. She'd been hoping to find a book about Laws of Succession, so she could confirm or deny what Maleficent had said about Phillip and the Bastard Law. At least this book of clippings would keep Evie distracted from her own book of wedding plans. She just had to hide it a few more days...

• • •

The setting was perfect. A warm night, cuddled up together by the fire. It was after dinner, and the firelight played beautifully on Evie's face, hiding all the imperfections that Mal was certain didn't really exist.

"E?" She asked quietly, barely audible above the beating of her heart in her ears.

"Mm?" Evie quietly acknowledged she'd heard her nickname.

"I need to slip out of the quilt for a second." Mal explained, worming her way out of the warm blanket.

"This was the best day of my life, Mal." Evie explained. It was barge day, the first since their run-in with the pirates, and for the first time since they'd taken Dragon Hall, Evie and Mal did absolutely nothing. They left their students and friends to keep track of things, and had one big date together, the first real date that either of them ever had.

Dating on the Isle was usually sort of just... Gang activity.

"I wish we could spend forever like this, together and relying on each other like soulmates." Evie mused, watching Mal get down on her knees. "What are you doing, silly?"

"Will... Will you marry me, Evie?" She asked, swallowing hard, and pulling a little metal tiara from her pocket. It wasn't real gold, just gold-painted, but it complemented her eyes, with glass jewels like sapphires.

"I want to spend the rest of my life with you," Mal continued, shaking and terrified of rejection. "I know I'm not a prince, and my only kingdom is the border of this stupid prison, but I want to share it with you, Evie."

"Yes! Yes, of course!" The blueberry princess announced, and Mal tucked the tiara into her hair, where it glittered in the firelight.

"I'm getting married!" Evie squealed excitedly, so loud that half of Dragon Hall probably heard her, before thankfully, Mal quieted her with a deep, passionate kiss.


	12. Interlude Ii

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Once again, this interlude isn't important to the story, aside from letting you get a glimpse into the lives of people in Auradon and on the Isle. World building, if you will. That said, read on to find a badass Evie standing up to her Mom, and other fun mother/daughter tidbits from this universe.
> 
> Aziz & Fatima: Aladdin's son and daughter.
> 
> Willow: Snow White's daughter.
> 
> Chad & Cindy: Cinderella's son and daughter

**L** **etter One: Evie to** **Grimhilde**

"Dear Mother,

"I hope this letter finds you well. I attached it to one of your vultures, as I've been far too busy to deliver it by hand. I wanted to let you know that I'm officially engaged, and getting married soon. As one of the benefits of being Mal's mother-in-law, I'm sending you a new servant, to help around the house.

"The young woman is named Jeanette, and she's several years older than me. She came to our court a few weeks ago, requesting a job in exchange for food and care for her children. We now care for her children during the day, and let them eat breakfast and dinner with us, here at Dragon Hall. I should let you know though, mother, if you treat Jeanette with any disrespect, I'll have to send her back, and you wouldn't want that, would you? I know how your bones ache, and you really do need the extra help.

"I would love for you to be at my wedding, mother, but you know how particular Mal can be about these things. She's told me that you're only allowed to come under my conditions, and that if you make me cry on my special day, she might literally kill you. A scary thought, I know, but I'm glad to have someone who protects me so fiercely.

"I have a new potion ready for your arthritis, and the jar is attached with this letter. I hope it helps. I know you may think it's unvillain-like of me, but I've forgiven you for all your past offenses, mother. I've forgiven, but I have not forgotten, and Mal's warnings apply threefold with me.

"I am obligated to you because you gave birth to me, raised me, and taught me everything I know. But if you make one wrong move, if you try to manipulate me, or any of my allies, I will PERSONALLY take away any privilege or status you might hold, and leave you destitute, ALONE, and UGLY. Do I make myself clear?

"That said, I really would love it if you were at my wedding, mother. I still love you, and I want to rebuild our relationship, but this time, without the abuse and cruel words.

"Your daughter, _Evie_."

**L** **etter** **Two: Jane to Fairy Godmother**

"Dear Mom,

"Thanks for lending me your binder for my fairy wings. I hate how tight it is, and how it crumples my wings, but you were right. The other kids at Auradon Prep all made fun of me for wearing my magic on my sleeve. I think Audrey was just jealous, because she doesn't have any magic, but of course I was too polite to say that.

"I'm sorry you've been so busy lately, and I haven't been talking with you like a daughter should. That's part of why I'm writing this letter. Even though you don't have time to meet with me in person, I can at least send you this letter, and hope it brightens your day.

"I hate how people here are so afraid of magic. I guess it's because so many of them have been hurt by it. Ben's father was cursed as a beast, Audrey's mom was cursed to sleep. Lumiere and Cogsworth were both cursed to become furniture... People always remember the curses, but no one ever remembers all the good things magic can do, like when you gave Cinderella her dress, or when the Blue Fairy made Pinocchio a real boy.

"I guess I shouldn't be ungrateful. I'd rather have my magic than not have it, but sometimes I wish I was more normal. I can't decide if I like my wings or hate them, but I guess that kind of self-discovery is just part of being a teenager. Please write me back as soon as possible, Mom. I love to hear from you.

"Love, _Jane_."

**Letter Three: Dizzy to** **Drizella**

"Dear Mama,

"Hello from Dizzy! I know it's been a long time since we saw each other, but I've been having so much fun at Dragon Hall! I hope business is good at the Curl Up and Dye. I sure miss it sometimes!

"I have a job now, as a cur-ee-er (that's a fancy word for delivery girl) for Mal. Daria and ~~Antwan~~ Antoine and Evie have been taking really good care of me, and Evie is teaching me how to be a real witch! I've become close ~~friends~~ allies with Claudine Frollo, who is very cute, and also good at climbing.

"I have good news! (This good news should also probably be shared with Aunt Anastasia). Antoine is having a baby! Ginny Gothel is getting bigger every day, and they're already thinking of names. If it's a baby boy, they aren't sure what they'll name him, but if it's a girl, Daria suggested they name her Anne-Marie, after Antoine's sister.

"I know you're ashamed of us for leaving, Mama, but it was something that had to be done. Recently, Antoine and Daria let me in on a big secret that I think you should know: remember when Grandma fell down the stairs after she threw the glass bottle at you, and hit Aunty? The cousins told me that they set her up to fall, because they didn't want Grandma to hurt you any more. They asked for help from Mal, and we left so that we could return the favor.

"So even if you think they're sinful, and that they don't love you and Aunt Anastasia anymore, I wanted to let you know that they do. They love you so much that they got involved with Mal's gang just to stop Grandma from hitting you! So please listen when Antoine and Daria talk. They miss you as much as I do.

"Very excited, _Dizzy_ _Tremaine_."

"P.S: I GET TO BE EVIE'S FLOWER GIRL, YAY!"

**Letter Four: Lonnie to** **Mul** **an**

"Beloved _Mu_ _-_ _Qin_ ,

"Things at school are the same as always, except that my teachers have finally given up on trying to pronounce my name. Today, after Mr. Huntington tried 'Lon-yang' and 'Lann-ying' in succession, he finally gave up, and nicknamed me Lonnie. It caught on, and all I hear these days is an Auradon nickname. I suppose it's better than the butchered versions of my name I used to hear every day. (Lahn-ying! I want to scream, but it doesn't matter, because my well-meaning classmates will just shrug and say 'Use your nickname Lonnie, it's easier!') Easier on me, or on them?

"Hence, I have written this entire letter in Chinese today, because I feel that if I stop using my native language, I might forget it! Thus, for today, you and papa are no longer dad and mom, but _Fu_ _-_ _Qin_ and _Mu_ _-_ _Qin_ to me.

"I'm not the only student under pressure from the carefully hidden bigotry. Aziz and Fatima have easy enough names, but Aziz has been shortened to AZ, and his sister is no longer allowed to wear her _hijab_ on school grounds. I couldn't really understand her between her tears, but it was something about having a 'unified Auradon Prep', not unlike how I had to give up my traditional Chinese clothes when I was first accepted here.

"Mother, when the first emperor unified China, did he force the various tribes to give up their characteristics? It seems to me that a 'Unified Auradon' means pale faces and simple names, and clothing that is just like what Audrey and Willow, and Cindy wear. Dearest _Mu_ _-_ _Qin_ , I know that you want me to play princess with the royals here, because Auradon is an important part of our country's economy, and because our greatest criminals are housed on their Isle. But must I really be forced to give up everything that is Chinese for the sake of their fragile peace?

"Awaiting reply, _Li_ _Lanying_."


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I hope you guys like the House parliament system. About the concept of sending poor people to the Isle: when Australia was still a prison colony for England, many people were sent for really stupid 'crimes' like being an unwed mother, being a beggar, stealing bread, etc.
> 
> Given that there is a real-world precedent here, I don't think it's very far-fetched for the more bitchy kings like Charming to send their poor people to the Isle for dumb, yet technically legal reasons, just to get the 'ugly peasants' out of sight.
> 
> Contains: Auradon Politics, and the Isle counterpart, shortsighted Adam and the whiny old blood families you've all come to expect from this story.

"More news from the Isle, Milord." Lumiere announced, handing King Beast his weekly readout of the major events taken place on the Isle of the Lost, as discovered by the magic surveillance map that watched the Isle, and Yen Sid's reports.

Apparently, according to the latest news, crime rates had stayed mostly the same, as far as Auradon could tell. Fewer random murders were occurring, but Mal's bodycount was now in the fifties. The Auradonians did not notice how fewer children were starving to death, or how domestic abuse had gone down by huge percentages.

They only saw that a sixteen year old girl (soon to be seventeen), had killed over fifty people, including her own mother, and didn't show any signs of stopping. On top of that, she seemed to be putting on a farce of a wedding, between herself and the daughter of the Evil Queen (the Whites were simply scandalized by that), with no priest or officiant. Clearly, Mal Morgana was insane, and Adam wasn't sure how to stop her.

Yen Sid had been surprisingly honest about the mess. He sent letters explaining how the people killed by Mal were "hardened criminals" who needed to be "dealt with", and King Beast felt compelled to remind him that they were _all_ hardened criminals. The isle was _full_ of criminals, that was the entire _point_. Yen Sid replied with a copy of Mal's ludicrous constitution, a document with no legal bearing and clearly admitting to Mal's taking of the law into her own hands, enforcing hard labor and the death penalty.

Adam was beginning to think the old man had actually lost it, clearly corrupted by the evil around him on the Isle. The king couldn't decide what to tell Ben. Should he crush his son's hopes and dreams by showing him the evidence of Mal's evil? He would do so, if he wasn't afraid of Ben catching wind of Yen Sid's crazed explanations too. He might just start to believe the nonsense, in order to hold onto his hope that the children of villains were not inherently evil...

• • •

"Milady, here are the documents you requested from Auradon." Yen Sid announced, handing over the books and papers he'd gotten on his last trip. "After the tense correspondence with the King, I'm not certain I will be welcomed back to Auradon in the future..."

"You will always be welcome in the Dragon Court, Yen Sid." Evie explained with a faint smile. If only for the fact that he'd gone back to Auradon for his last trip, and brought back valuable, irreplaceable supplies, like updated books and newspapers, hundreds of spools of thread, and the supplies to build a greenhouse, so that the Isle might finally be able to bear food for it's people.

He'd also brought two extremely important books for Mal and Evie: Historical Politics, and Auradon Laws of Inheritance.

"It's a pity I don't have more time to read these days." Evie sighed wistfully. "Between the wedding and the day-to-day business of running this place, I frankly have my hands full."

"Well, there's actually something I need to tell you about," the old wizard spoke in a low voice, and made sure his office door was firmly locked, before he continued.

"During my last visit to Auradon, King Adam was beginning to receive news of what you kids have been up to lately. Unfortunately, it wasn't as well received as we might have hoped."

"How could it be poorly received?" Evie exclaimed. "Since Mal rose to power, the crime rates have gone down tremendously! We've placed hundreds of people with jobs, people for whom the only other choice was prostitution or theft!"

"The King factors Mal's judicial killings into the crime rate though." Yen Sid bitterly explained. "I've tried to explain the situation to him, to show him the good you've done, but I believe he thinks I'm quite insane."

" _He's_ the insane one if he thinks it's right to throw people on a prison island. Did you know some of our subjects are only guilty of vagrancy, or other misdemeanors? Sometimes I think that _Beast_ just wanted to punish the poor! They weren't criminals until _he_ threw them here!" Evie shouted, full of righteous fury. Clearly, she'd thought about this before.

"I'm sorry, Lady Evie." The wizard nodded solemnly, before putting a hand on her shoulder. "There is still hope. It lies with Adam's son, Ben. He believes strongly in Mal and her policies. If you and Mal contact him first, as opposed to Auradon at large, he can clear the way for you."

"Thank you for your help, Yen Sid." The blue princess smiled, regaining her composure. "Have you ever considered a job as a court Archmage?" Evie asked playfully, knowing he would refuse.

"Even were we not behind this barrier, my days of sorcery are behind me." The old man chuckled.

"Oh well. Do come to the wedding though!" Evie extended the official, if verbal, invitation.

Evie had already planned it out, and she had agonized over the wardrobe. She didn't want to wear white, because white was the color of good, and her trademark blue was the color of the land that had banished her to the Isle, the color of Auradon. Mal didn't want to wear a dress, because even as a queen, she was always meant to rule, but she had never wanted to be the gilded image of what the people expected when they heard _Queen_.

So Evie designed an ornate black dress, with purple accents, the color of Magic. The color of _Mal_. It had a long train, made of the finest material she could get her hands on, this side of the barrier. It would drag the dusty, barren ground when she walked, but that didn't matter. Wedding dresses were meant to be worn only once (but let's face it, this was the Isle, and Evie would probably have to wash it afterwards, because a dress that pretty was too good to waste).

Mal would wear a dress uniform, styled after something Briar Rose's finest general would wear. It would be covered with the embroidered patches of her station: a red arrow for Commander, as her soldiers called her. A crown for her status as ruler of the Isle. A sprig of heather for her mother's clan, and a purple M, for Mal, Maleficent, Magic, _Morgana,_ the name they would both take, after the wedding.  
It was a general's suit, not a dress, but Mal would not oppose certain feminine touches, like the black fabric with purple edges, to match her bride's dress. She would not fuss over fake pearl buttons, or ruffles on the sleeves, or a real silk cravat, one of the Evil Queen's last heirlooms. It had been handed over, in the name of goodwill. It seemed like the woman was taking Evie's requests seriously, and Mal hadn't heard a single rude word from her in weeks. Whether that had to do with fear or repentance, Mal didn't really care. All she cared about was the happiness of her beloved.

And so, they all prepared for the big day.

• • •

To say that Auradon's High Council tended to argue like children, was a vast misunderstanding. While they might _hate_ like children, they argued like adults, with carefully barbed compliments, fake smiles, and the softest of threats.

"So, what are we to do about this menace on the Isle?" Phillip asked, putting on a protective front for his wife, so that no one would guess how afraid he really was.

"First off, when have we ever done _anything_ on the Isle?" Shang interrupted. "Since when do we enforce _any_ laws there?"

"The place is still under our control," Snow White retorted.

"Not if you want to keep bypassing the Dungeon Act, it isn't..." Elsa muttered, from a very cold corner of the table.

"Hold up a second-" Eugene Fitzherbert interrupted. "Yeah, hi, Fitzherbert here, the only guy at the table with _an_ _actual_ _criminology_ _degree_!"

After clearing his throat, the former thief continued. Rapunzel sat beside him, having finally convinced her parents to let them take Corona's seat on the High Council.

"After I left behind my life of crime, I went to school and got my criminology degree, to better help my country understand criminals and the criminal element," Eugene explained.

"Your point, Lord Fitzherbert?" Adam intervened gently, before Charming could call for blood.

"My point is, I'm kind of an expert, and this expert asks: do we see a pattern with the people Mal's killed already?" Eugene explained, with a fire in his eyes.

"As far as we can tell, she killed Claude Frollo, then her mother, then an assortment of random villagers taken from their homes." Adam explained, passing around the latest report. "The last few killings after the massacre are uncertain. We don't know why she killed them or when, but they're dead, and evidence lends itself to Maleficent's daughter."

"Okay, _random_ doesn't sit well with me." Eugene explained. "No one just kills people at _random_ , unless they've totally lost touch with reality."

"Clearly, the villain girl has." Aurora noted. "She's insane."

"Okay, yeah, that's a _theory_ , but I don't think it's _right_." Rapunzel's husband explained again, silently thinking that _he_ was the insane one for pointing this out. "As far as we can tell, Mal Morgana has not lost touch with reality. Her people are still with her, she's organizing a wedding and a feast, and regular raids on the barge. This highly structured pattern doesn't point to a crazy person."

"So you're saying that a wedding between two teenage girls isn't a crazy idea?" Prince Charming (now King Charming of his own kingdom) asked condescendingly.

"Uh, no?" Fitzherbert rolled his eyes. "Even if you think it's wrong, you can't change the fact that Mal is organizing a huge event that seems to include every man woman and child on the Isle. Psychotic people wouldn't be able to organize something like that."

"So your theory, Lord Fitzherbert, is that Mal did not kill indiscriminately? That her slaughters were not random?" Queen Belle interrupted, clearly intrigued.

"Exactly, your highness!" Eugene exclaimed. "If we find the pattern in the people she's killed, we can stop her from killing again."

"Where do you suggest we look?" Adam asked.

"I propose we examine the list of those forty-seven villagers, and see what crimes got them sent to the Isle." Fitzherbert explained. "If we find a commonly shared crime, or type of crime, we'll find our motive."

• • •

"Mal, I've been reading this book on politics lately," Evie noted, as she finished hemming her lover's coat.

" _Historical_ _Politics_ from Yen Sid?" Mal asked curiously, trying to twist around to see her princess. Evie smacked her leg, and chided: "Be still!" Before continuing her thought.

"So remember how I discovered in those old newspaper clippings that the Isle is zoned as a separate micro-nation?" Evie asked, through the sewing pins in her mouth. "Well I've been reading about various parliamentary systems, and I think a House of Lords would work well here."

"Explain in Mal terms, please." Mal interrupted teasingly. The fae always felt she didn't have time for trying to decipher long explanations. She was smart enough to do so, of course, but why waste time when she had a living dictionary for a girlfriend?

"So basically, there's a monarch on top: You." Evie explained.

"And _you_ _,_ my queen." Mal added.

"And then there's a House of Lords in charge of Parliament. Each house is headed by someone in power, traditionally a lord." Evie explained. "Each lord represents their people, basically like it already is around here, with Carlos and his group including Jay, his minions, etc. Uma with her crew of pirates, and the other ships under her command."

"So like the Isle command structure already, but phrased in a way those prissy Auradon brats will understand?" Mal clarified.

"Mm-hm." Evie confirmed, finishing up that last seam.

"I like it. It'll make us look more professional and familiar for Ben." The faerie mused, with a wicked smile. "Also, letting Uma have her own 'house' without actually changing the power structure should really stroke her ego."

If there was one thing Mal knew about Uma, it was that her pride was her biggest weakness.

"We could meet once a month and check Uma's records while we're there. Meanwhile she'll get a minor say in any new laws and policies, along with any other house we employ." Evie continued, helping Mal out of the dress uniform she was measuring.

"You mentioned Carlos. Does he want a title?" Mal asked curiously, following back down onto their bed. She was infinitely pleased that this fitting was over.

"We've been talking lately, and he told me that there are a lot of people under his protection now." Evie explained. Of course, _under_ _his_ _protection_ also meant Mal's by extension, but lately, Carlos had been growing up, and dealing with his own problems more often.

"He's got his henchmen, and his extended family members, as well as Jay, who would choose Carlos over you, if he had to, Mal." Evie added the last part as gently as possible, even though Mal already knew.

"Alright, so Uma and Carlos... Who else wants a made-up title?" Mal joked, as her girlfriend hung up the nearly-finished outfit.

"We should invite Freddie too." Evie replied. "She's the only other nonaffiliated party on the island with enough power to really shake things up."

"Right." Mal agreed. "She probably also has a real finger on the pulse of the commoners."

The last thing Mal wanted to do was make the same mistake as her parents, and the Auradon fools. Thus, she resolved to maintain her good relations with the powerful influences on her Isle. Disgruntled peasants could also count as a powerful force.

• • •

Finally, the day had arrived. Mal stood at the end of the aisle, where Dizzy had thrown a carpet of wild flowers. There was no priest, and no officiant, but this was the Isle, and no one needed it. There was no organ, because no one owned an organ around here, but Michael Medusa played his violin as Evie walked down the aisle, in her dress as black as night. Mal waited for her, as her Queen and Commander, looking dark and beautiful in her uniform. The Evil Queen walked her daughter down the aisle, and to her credit, refrained from making any ill advised comments about Evie's hair, posture, dress, or makeup.

"Allies and subjects," Mal began, looking out upon the crowds assembled. "I stand here before you today as Mal the Unbroken, the Dragon Unconquered, Last of the Fae, from the line _Maleficent_. I present to you, my wife: Genevieve Grimhilde White, daughter of the Evil Queen, lady of poisons, mother to all orphans, and now, Queen of the Isle!"

"All hail, Commander Mal! All hail Queen Evie!" Carlos started the chant, and the entire crowd chanted for their new queens, throwing flower petals as they walked hand-in-hand down the aisle. There were no kisses, because this was still the Isle, and kissing was simply not done in public.

After the wedding came the celebratory feast. Lines of peasants arrived in droves to pay fealty to their new Queens, and there was surprisingly honest support from many of their subjects. After all, unemployment was at an all-time low, people were able to afford food for once, and Maleficent had never held a great feast for people before, as Mal held on this day of all days, the day of her wedding.

Little children came, bearing the best gifts that they could afford, because this was _their_ Evie, the woman who took them off the streets. When possible, she placed them with a good home, and when that was impossible, she took them to Dragon Hall. They came in queues that went back as far as the eye could see, and brought everything from flowers, to buttons, to hand-drawn pictures made with charcoal and scraps of paper.

Their lords came to swear fealty to the new order. Carlos and Jay stepped forward, and kissed Mal's hand, representatives of the new House DeVil. Uma bowed low, but grinned widely as she introduced herself and Harry as representatives of House Leviathan. Antoine kissed Mal on both cheeks as Lord of House Tremaine, a party that didn't have enough manpower to earn a place on Mal's council, but had enough financial backing to gain the title.

The party lasted long into the night, and Mal made certain that everyone got something to eat, even though that meant handing out pre-portioned servings. Carlos had trapped and cooked hundreds of wild birds for this meal. Typically, most considered it too difficult to hunt for such small meals, but Carlos was an expert, so each serving had a single, small, roasted bird. There were mashed potatoes, a combination of wild from the misty forests, and canned, from Auradon. There were roasted vegetables, and stir fried salad, made from wild greens and mushrooms.

It was the greatest festival the Isle had ever seen, and even the watchers on the mainland were impressed. The High Council watched from their enchanted looking glass as the festivities went on into the night. When everyone saw how competent Mal appeared to be, and how much the people seemed to love her, Eugene Fitzherbert felt a little bit vindicated.

As the rest of his family discussed this new development, Ben slipped away to his room. On his pillow, was an envelope, a note that he was certain hadn't been there an hour ago. The note was written on exceedingly simple stationary, and contained two things: a date, and a spell.

A date and time for a week from now.

And a spell to communicate through an enchanted mirror.

• **End** **Part** **O** **ne •**


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Please note that some references from Maleficent will come soon, and be integrated into the Descendants canon. Being familiar with that film is not necessary, but those of you who like it will probably enjoy this. In this AU, I've kept Disney's scrapped idea that Ursula is King Triton's sister, so Uma has the same last name. Also note, I don't dislike Audrey, and I hope to portray her sympathetically. She's kind of ditzy and self-absorbed, but it's largely her parents' fault for not teaching her how to be a proper ruler.

"Hello? Is this thing working?" Ben murmured to himself, as he tapped the misty mirror on his wall. Of course, not having magic, Ben couldn't cast the spell himself, but he was able to trick Jane into saying the words, and apparently, that was good enough. Slowly, the static of the mirror began to sort into a clear image, a display that showed five teenagers, the same age as him, sitting around a table. All guilt about fooling Jane was tossed out the window, because Ben _finally_ got to see them, got to see _her_.

Mal.

"Prince Ben." Mal nodded into her own version of the looking glass, quite politely. "I am Mal Morgana, Queen of the Isle, scion of the House of M."

The woman who sat beside his magical dream-girl had bright blue hair and pale skin, with lips as red as blood. She was equally as beautiful as Mal, and twice as exotic.

"I'm Genevieve Morgana, wife and advisor to the High Queen."

The young men at Mal's left hand introduced themselves, and Ben couldn't help but notice how attractive they both seemed. The white-haired boy with his freckles like constellations, and the tan young man with dark hair and darker eyes, and arms that could probably lift him, easily.

"Carlos DeVil, scion of House DeVil." The pale boy nodded.

"Jahid Jafarson, chief advisor to Carlos."

"Uma Triton, of House Leviathan." The girl beside Evie announced proudly, wearing a captain's hat, and dreadlocks that looked like seaweed, swept up out of the blue-green ocean, (and _damn_ _it_ , she looked attractive too, Ben thought idly, trying to remember his speech and his very identity).

He found it odd, because Ben had been really certain he was straight. He had been really _convinced_ that he didn't like other guys, but here were Jay and Carlos, and they captivated him as much as Evie and Mal and Uma did.

Ben didn't understand it at the time, but it was the magical principle of like-attracts-like. Prince Benjamin was a magical being, raised among humans, fighting back his inner beast, pretending to be human. These teens were effectively humans thanks to the barrier, but they were raised with full knowledge of their heritage and power. Mal was a human, trying to be fae. Ben was a besst, trying to be human. He didn't belong in Auradon, Ben felt in that moment. He belonged with _them_ \- the magical ones.

"Is something wrong with the volumes, Prince?" Mal asked, barely containing her amusement. "Can you hear us?"

Ben realized he'd been staring for the past minute, so he opened his mouth to speak.

"Ahem. Apologies, High Queen Mal. I was quite _pleasantly_ surprised to see that your council is composed of people around my own age." Ben covered his awkwardness with all the skill he'd been born and bred into, with his mother's tutoring and his political science classes.

"We are, frankly, the best of our peers, Prince Ben." Evie interjected smoothly, ever the diplomat. "Shall we continue on with the business of the hour?"

"Of course, your majesty." Ben conceded, and Mal began the meeting.

"Prince Ben, it has come to our attention that some heinous rumors are being spread around Auradon, concerning my regime." The purple-haired girl explained. "Having heard that you might be sympathetic, we thought we'd talk to _you_ about it first."

She emphasized that _you_ in a way that made Ben feel like he was the only man in the world.

"Firstly, to clarify, Mal did not _randomly_ murder forty-seven people." Carlos practically growled. "Every person executed that day was guilty of felony child abuse, including child sex trafficking."

"Wait- what? That actually _happens_ on the Isle!?" Ben exclaimed, and the four shared a look, as if to say 'can he really be this stupid?'

"Yes, prince-boy, it really does." Uma rolled her eyes. "Mal took those children from parents who didn't deserve them, and then she fed them and taught them a trade. She's a _real_ -"

Evie cut her off before she could say something about Mal being a disgrace to villains everywhere. They were trying to make a _good_ first impression, after all.

"Okay, so that's good to know..." Ben nodded solemnly. "Our council's criminologist kept trying to convince my father you had a motive. Now I know how to point them in the right direction."

"Secondly, Mal killed her own mother. She did that because Maleficent stood between her, and ruling the Isle." Evie explained, and Ben blanched a little, feeling sick to his stomach. He'd hoped that part was just a rumor, a lie, a mistake.

"I had to kill her, because overpowering her wouldn't work, she wouldn't step down, and she attacked me first." Mal explained. "I need to control the Isle, not because of any ambition for power, but because people are starving here, Ben, and fighting for scraps."

"I hate to admit it," Uma added, "But ever since Mal took power, there have been fewer riots, more food to go around, and less crime in general. Not to mention, we don't see beggar kids in the street anymore, since 'Mother Evie' over there adopted them all."

"I never _wanted_ to have power, Ben. It was just... thrust upon me, as I imagine it was with you." Mal explained, so sweetly, so convincingly. "I _had_ to take control though. Some people here were exiled for truly minor crimes, and they don't deserve to suffer like our parents do, Prince Ben. Especially not the children."

"I... I see." Ben nodded. "How can I help?" He asked, innocently throwing himself into their world, into the world of politics that he had fought for so long to stay out of.

"Coincidentally, I have a list right here..." Evie purred, and Ben didn't see it, but Mal smiled triumphantly.

• • •

"Ugh! Evil _damn_ it!" Mal sceamed, throwing the book across the room, where it smacked into the wall with a dull thud. "That stupid woman _lied_ to me!"

"Mal! Are you okay?" Evie cried out, as she rushed into the room.

"There _is_ _no_ bastard law. Mom lied to me, again." Mal snarled. Barely calmed by her lover's encircling arms.

"Let's calm down and think about motive," Evie crooned. "Maleficent knew she was dying. She knew you would kill her, so why would she tell you that story about Phillip, about your inheritance?"

"She... she..." Mal trailed off, before inspiration hit her. "She told me that, so that I'd believe Aurora's kingdom was mine by right."

"Maybe so that you would pursue it, even after getting the Isle? She didn't want you to stop short of her revenge." Evie explained her tentative theory.

"So... Even though she was dead, she'd be vindicated..." Mal mused. She hated thinking about that awful day, and how Maleficent had _laughed_ , laughed triumphantly, even as the life drained from her body.

"Even from beyond the grave, I'm still just Mother's pawn." Mal groaned.

"Look on the bright side, darling! At least you have some pawns of your own now!" Evie comforted. "Ben is totally in love with you."

"But he's such a dope." Mal retorted.

"A _cute_ dope, and a prince, too." Evie purred in reply.

"It makes me sick that he doesn't know what goes on in his own damn kingdom." Mal snapped right back, and Evie broke down into giggles.

"Oh Mal, you know I love to toy with the blond naive ones." Evie laughed. "Not that we get many around here... Hey, at the very least, we can get him to give us stuff until we finally succeed in destroying the barrier."

"Yeah... It'll be a lot easier to clean things up around here when we aren't struggling to survive..."

And meanwhile, while the girls were talking, Jay and Carlos had assembled some labor from the local job-seekers, and began assembling the greenhouse they'd planned. Yen Sid had provided the seeds and the fertile soil that they desperately needed on the Isle, and Ben had provided that scores of plastic bottles which would normally be sent to a recycling plant, were instead redirected to the Isle of The Lost.

Crushed down and melded together at the seams, multiple pounds of plastic recyclables formed the walls and pointed roof of the new greenhouse. Hopefully the house would be able to take the sickly, magic-filtered sunlight on the Isle, and use it to make food. Of course, Ben could have sent multiple greenhouses, had he more money and power, but for the moment, it was agreed that they should all keep a low profile. King Adam was too caught up in royal politics to notice a few stray bags of plastic borrowed by the Prince for his "science project".

"Beans, there." Carlos ordered, overseeing the planting of several rows of vegetables. "Tomatoes and peppers go together."

A goblin approached, speaking quickly in the goblin language, and Carlos recognized him as his own assistant, the only one allowed in his workshop besides Jay. This goblin called himself Dan, which was short for something unpronounceable by human tongue.

"English, Dan." Carlos chided, because his mind was elsewhere, and while he ran schematics, putting them aside in his mind, and also directing the gardeners, he couldn't _also_ be bothered to mentally translate Goblinese at the same time.

"There's been a change in the device!" Dan shouted, sweat pouring down his skin.

"Jay! Supervise!" Carlos shouted to his counterpart, who was busy sowing a row of seeds. Carlos didn't ask Dan which machine he meant, because he said _the_ device. There was only one which wasn't yet named.

On the way to the workshop, Carlos pulled out his simple cellphone. It was just a cheap phone, the kind that had been out of style in Auradon since before he was born, but he'd rewired it to be useful for one purpose: contacting the twin cellphone owned by Mal.

"Hello, Mal? Good news." Carlos spoke into the homemade walkie talkie. "My assistant just came to get me, and he's told me that something's happening with the device. Don't fuss yet, because I'm not sure. Just letting you know."

Normally, Mal couldn't care less about Carlos' projects, except when they benefitted her. This one, however, would benefit them all. Carlos DeVil had learned that the device he had invented to pirate satellite stations from Auradon, could probably _actually_ punch a hole in the barrier. This was big news.

When they made it back to the workshop, Carlos nearly fainted in shock.

"What happened here, Dan?" Carlos croaked out, as he surveyed the device on his counter, blowing off steam, with scattered parts all around it.

"It wasn't like this when I left! But that's why I came to get you!" Dan explained, cursing Goblinese when a burst of steam shot a gear past his head. "It was shaking, and warm to the touch!"

"I suspect it was just a coolant or fan failure..." Carlos mused, pulling a toolbox from a high shelf. "Thanks again for your help, Dan."

"No problem at all, Master Carlos." The goblin grinned, bowing deeply. Carlos had already tried explaining to Dan that he didn't need to be called Master, but like a good butler, goblins used it for employers they respected. Dan had actually been sent to Carlos as a Christmas gift from Mal. Not in the way that goblins were slaves to be bought and sold, but more like she'd found one who was terribly unsuited for kitchen work, and thought he might prefer helping Carlos instead.

Thus Dan had become something of a regular fixture in the junk shop, a presence for which Carlos was grateful, as the days just seemed to get busier and busier.

• • •

"Ben? What's got you so distracted lately?" Audrey asked one day, as Ben read over a legal book he'd checked out of the library.

"Do you ever think about your subjects, Audrey?" Ben asked absently, because he knew Audrey, and if he didn't answer her, she'd just keep asking.

"Of course, Benny Boo! I love my subjects, like a good princess should."

"But do you think they suffer? Is there anyway we can help them, Audrey?" Ben mused.

"Of course they don't suffer, silly." The girl giggled. "We sent the villains away, so who could cause them any pain?"

"What if they don't have enough money? What if they're hungry?" Ben offered, hoping to stimulate a conversation.

"Why wouldn't they have money? Mama enacted a law that all peasants must be paid a living wage." Audrey insisted.

"Well, sometimes people get sick, and can't work. Then they can't afford food or medicine, so they get sicker." Ben patiently explained.

"I... I suppose I never thought about that before." Audrey mused quietly, and her boyfriend's phone rang - the tinny version of 'Once Upon A Dream' echoed out through his study.

"Hello?" Ben answered, and his father was on the other line.

"Ben, we have a situation in the Black Forest, Snow White's territory. I want you to come along with me, and see how disturbances like this should be handled." Adam explained over the phone, and Ben politely hung up, slipping the phone back into his pocket.

"Gotta go, Audrey. Princely business calls." Ben explained, giving his girlfriend a chaste kiss on the cheek before running off.

She was still thinking about the conditions of her people.

• • •

"Now what in goodness' name is going on here?" Adam asked, as Ben followed attentively behind him. They had arrived as soon as possible, and the scene before them was... surprising, to say the least. The dwarves were on strike.

"Fair prices!" One female dwarf shouted. Ben noticed one or two of his classmates among the protesters. Many carried signs, which bore slogans like _'Dwarfs_ _are_ _people_ _too!'_ And _'Unfair_ _taxation!'_ A particularly well-penned picket sign read: _'We_ _farm_ _your_ _gold, the_ _food_ _you_ _eat, and_ _still_ _we_ _have_ _no_ _council_ _seat!'_

"The riot broke out this morning." Lumiere explained. "The miners left their stations and blocked entry to the mine, bringing production to a standstill."

"Is that legal?" Adam asked, raising an eyebrow behind his glasses.

"Yes, m'lord. It says in by-law four-hundred thirty that the common man is legally allowed to protest working conditions." The former candlestick explained. Ben vaguely wondered if he had ever wanted to protest his working conditions.

"But what about by-law forty-seven?" Adam asked. "Didn't that say that no party can stop production of an Auradonian industry without prior government approval?"

"That's true, sir, but I believe there is no statute for that law to apply in the case of protesters." The majordomo clarified.

"We'll have to discuss this with the council. No point in losing approval over an unprecedented law." Ben added.

"Good argument, son." Adam nodded.

"If I were you, I'd also arrange a meeting in the near future to hear their complaints." Ben said quietly, showing off his considerable knowledge in politics. "Even if we can't help, it'll go a long way in approving public opinion."

"I agree, son. Not to mention, we need to contact the Whites, to see what they know about this." Adam noted. "In the meantime, I think you should offer them a time for the meeting, and try to convince them to return to work."

"Yes, father." Ben replied, a little irritated about how his father was treating the dwarves. It wasn't as bad as it could be, but he got the sense that Adam saw this as a mere disturbance of spoiled and ungrateful dwarves, and not a symptom of a greater underlying problem.

Meanwhile, across Auradon, Mal was dealing with a diplomatic incident of her own.

• • •

It was barge day, the first since Mal had taken full control of the island, and she wanted to avoid the pandemonium and thievery that had always characterized the second Monday of the month in past years. She'd brought her entire rag-tag contingent of soldiers, and had ordered Uma to bring several of her crew. The rest were left to patrol the isle, making sure no one got away with any crimes while the action was focused at the docks.

"Listen up!" Mal told the assembled commoner who had gathered to await the barge. "I don't want any violence today, not because I disprove of violence, but because it's a real fucking _waste_ to fight over Auradon _garbage_!"

A cheer rippled out through the crowd at that statement, and Mal smirked triumphantly.

"Shopkeepers, Line up according to what you sell! Everyone else, get outta here!" Mal shouted, to a grumble of disapproval.

"No one gets handouts!" Uma confirmed. "If you want food, you'll have to sign up with me or Mal, or get it yourself! No more brute force at the barges! From now on, theft is illegal!" The captain smirked, to a chorus of gasps from the crowd.

"If you want it, work for it!" Uma laughed. "If you steal it, _don't_ _get_ _caught_."

Mal grinned, as she triumphantly watched Uma working as a mouthpiece for her ideals. It sounded quite villainous, not just randomly helping people, but as always, they had an ulterior motive. Up until now, life on the Isle had largely been up to luck and fortune. By refusing to give anyone a free ride, Mal planted the idea that people could work to change their fate. Life on the Isle was now ruled by effort and cunning, not luck, and that was important. Anyone who needed help would get it, but not for free. Even children helped out with age-appropriate chores, as the kids of Dragon Hall could attest.

When the barge arrived, many teenagers had to brandish their swords at the crowd, to keep them from instinctively rushing forward, as they had for every year since the Isle of The Lost was founded. Mal conscripted Carlos to talk with the Goblins, and Mal set aside ten bags to split with Uma, and two for Jay, payment for the use of his weapons. Next, the pirates slit open the remaining bags, and filtered through them, forming human chains to each of four tables between them, and the crowd.

The first table was for bread and other quickly perishable items. The second was for paper and cardboard trash. The third table was for canned and otherwise preserved foods, and the last table was for non-paper Auradon trash that could be repurposed. All the truly worthless stuff was shoved back into a garbage bag, and sealed up.

"Bread sellers, over here!" Gil called out from the first table, and started doling out what he had, in exchange for coins. The bread was sold pretty cheaply, and the merchants would raise the price for the general public. In this way, some truly poor peasants would be unable to pay for it, and run straight into Mal's welcoming arms. It was a damn good arrangement, and even though some might consider it evil to make people work for food, Mal thought of it as a mercy. After all, no one was starving to death any more.

The money made from this venture would be split with Mal. Uma was putting in more manpower, but Mal was the leader, and it was she who provided the idea, and the authority to make people listen without a fight.

All in all, it took over four hours to hand out the supplies, and afterwards an hour to sign up new hands to work for them. Uma and Mal's gangs each left with five bags and a hefty pile of money, while Carlos and Jay left with two, and some money Mal gave them in exchange for Carlos' goblinese translation. It was a good day. The plan had gone well (without a hitch, really), and everyone was ready to go home and relax. Mal leaned over to her wife, and kissed her fiercely, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"How would you feel about starting a clothing business?" Mal purred, remembering all of the people who'd signed up to work tomorrow. Apparently, it was the right thing to say, because Evie grinned wickedly, and pressed their lips together once again.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I can't explain why I like Dominant Carlos. I simply do. Carlos the Callous is god-tier and you can fight me on that.
> 
> Content: After these last few calm chapters, we're about to get real dark again... Cruella dies this chapter, in a more hands-on and violent way than Jafar or Maleficent did. There's some slurs too, used by Cruella towards Carlos, and even though she suffers for it... she's pretty awful.

Recently, Evie had started making embroidered patches for each faction on the island, so anyone could tell at a glance whose house they were in. Carlos wore his House of DeVil patch proudly - it was blood-red, with a white border. Inside the crest was a dog's profile in black and white: a Dalmatian. Jay wore his badge with pride, on the lapel of his leather jacket, while Carlos wore it on his upper coat pocket.

Carlos, the frequently misjudged, was viciously protective over what was _his_ , and that included Jay. Thus, he was rather supportive of Mal and Evie's house system. Now, when Juan or Jay, or his minions were out on the island, he could rest easy, knowing that no one would mistakenly _or_ willingly attack them. To do so would risk the fury of House DeVil, and Carlos the callous, Carlos the _cruel_ , who saw typical human beings as _lesser_ when compared to his genius, and wouldn't hesitate to crush anyone who crossed him.

Jay found it insanely hot when short, young, _underestimated_ Carlos let out his possessive side. Hell had no fury like an angry DeVil.

That was why Cruella died, eventually. Not because of what she'd done to Carlos (because while her son could kill on a whim, he didn't consider her worth his time), but because she was foolish enough to cross Jay, and that was _unforgivable_.

On the day it happened, Carlos was working on _the_ _device_ , the one that was destined to destroy the barrier. He'd realized with a twinge of frustration, that he'd left some necessary supplies in his treehouse at Hell Hall, back when he'd run away all those years ago. As much as he hated it, Carlos would have to go back home, and see if things were as he'd left them. It would be cheaper and quicker than trying to obtain new parts at this stage.

He brought Jay along as a lookout, since Carlos knew he could handle his mother... He just preferred not to, if he could help it. Unluckily for him, his mother was drunk enough to be stupid, but not too drunk to recognize him.

"Carlos! You worthless boy! Where have you been? I thought you were dead!" Cruella snarled viciously.

"Some welcome party." Jay muttered, and Cruella smirked at the taller young man.

"Ah, I see how it is." The bitter old woman snickered. "The boy's been spreading his legs for protection."

"Hey! You can't say that about him!" Jay retorted, but Carlos merely brushed it off. On the outside he seemed perfectly neutral, but Jay knew that was how he coped, by compartmentalizing his emotions.

"Keep the old hag occupied, Jay. I have business to attend." Carlos growled, and stalked from the room.

"Oh boy. He's mad now." Jay whistled appreciatively, glad to see his boyfriend finally standing up for himself.

"All I see is a scared little boy, running away." Cruella retorted. For the first time, Jay noticed two pairs of eyes watching from the shadows. Horace and Jasper were waiting, to see how things would play out.

"You'd better watch your mouth, Cruella. If that 'scared little boy' hears you, he'll rip your throat out." Jay mused, smirking.

"I think you're both full of bullshit. You're just a little faggot street rat with his little useless whore." The bitch smirked, and from the far door, Carlos darted in like a lightning bolt, slamming into his mother at full force, knocking her from her seat.

"You may say what you like about me, mother... But for what you said to Jay? You suffer." The small DeVil whispered, completely stoic.

"Get off of me!" Cruella shouted, and Carlos snapped his fingers.

"Horace! Jasper! To me!" The boy shouted, and the two older men, sensing who was in charge now, ran to his side.

"Yes, Mister DeVil?" Horace asked, with a tremor in his voice.

"If you want to maintain a semblance of job security, go fetch me some rope." Carlos ordered, before he turned to Jasper and Jay. "Will you help me get her into a chair?"

The two stronger men grabbed Cruella, who was struggling to stand on her own. They plopped her down in the chair, and when Horace returned with the rope, helped to tie and gag her. The woman was fuming, clearly upset that her two loyal henchmen had turned against her.

"Listen, _mother_ ," Carlos mused. "I wasn't going to hurt you, really. I just wanted to pick up a few things. Then you had to open your big mouth..."

"See? I told you, lady." Jay smirked.

"Horace, Jasper, how would you rate your employment under Ms. DeVil?" Carlos asked the two henchmen politely.

"Erm, is this a trick question?" Jasper ventured, and Carlos shook his head.

"Well, she's kinda snappish, gov." Horace noted.

"And mean." Jasper added.

"And it don't pay well." Horace explained.

"She's very... punchy." Jasper concluded.

"The employees have spoken, mother." Carlos smirked. "It's time for a change in management."

Behind the gag, Cruella screamed.

• • •

"What are you working on?" Mal asked, glancing over Evie's shoulder, to see her dying fabric and leather in the color black.

"I'm going to make uniforms for our soldiers. Do you still have those old witches hats in the Bargain castle?"

"Yeah, why?" Mal asked.

"I'm giving those to our witches corp, to complete the outfit." Evie explained, gesturing to an outfit hanging in front of her. It was a dress, with a leather top and leather thigh-high leggings beneath. It was ideal for style and freedom of movement, and the leather provided some degree of protection. There were also gauntlets made of some kind of upholstered material, to protect the arms.

Beside the dress was a uniform with a leather doublet, and jeans, with long sleeves and gauntlets. It was much the same design as the other armor, but without a skirt, and more broad-shouldered.

"Neat. These will be warm in winter, and should provide enough protection for skirmishes." Mal noted. For the first time, she glanced around the room and noted all the people working on clothes. Evie had designed them, but they were being made by others, getting the work done much faster.

Yep. Anyone who's been through basic training gets one of these. It'll keep these kids safe, should we get into a fight." Evie noted.

"And once we pop the soap bubble, we need to put an armor enchantment on these things, so they'll be ready for a _real_ fight." Mal added quietly. Lately, 'popping the soap bubble' had been their code for bringing down the barrier, lest anyone was listening in. Not that there were any Auradon spies on the isle, simply because the plan so far was secret, and the common workers around them had no need to be implicated.

"Have you put together a list of combat potions?" Mal asked curiously, as they'd been discussing this for a while now.

"But of course, dear." Evie smirked. "Every member of the Witches Corp will be well stocked with flash bombs and inhalent poison."

"Excellent. Those who challenge my army won't know what hit them." Mal smirked.

"I thought the plan was to work with diplomacy?" Evie asked, still focusing on her work.

"Oh, that's still plan A." Mal confirmed. "We're going to weasel our way into 'Benny-boo's' weak little heart, and by the time we strike and show our true colors, it will be far too late."

"Excellent." The blue princess smirked. "I can't wait to have that big shiny castle on a hill."

"With a mother-in-law wing." Mal amended.

"So we don't have to look at her." Evie added slyly.

"Right." Mal laughed heartily. Everything was coming together, and the winds were changing. They could feel it.

• • •

"Take that out of here." Carlos remarked to his new minions with disgust. They hoisted up the chair carrying Cruella's dead body, with her glassy eyes and blood-stained dress.

"I don't mean to encourage such wanton violence, but no one's ever disemboweled an old lady for me before." Jay commented snarkily.

"Jahid Jafarson. That sounds suspiciously like a compliment." Carlos smirked, and went to a nearby sink to wash his hands.

"Seriously though, dude. I think it's not good to keep your feelings inside like that." Jay noted in a more solemn tone. "You kinda snapped a little."

"The instigator is gone, Jay. I have no more need for violence. The others will be properly intimidated now, especially once Horace and Jasper start gossiping."

"See, that robot-speak? You only do that when you're upset." Jay noted, before pulling his boyfriend into a close hug as he started to cry.

"Take me upstairs-" Carlos sniffed. "I don't want anyone to see me like this."

"Your wish is my command, Carlos." The taller young man grinned, and scooped up his boyfriend in both arms, carrying him upstairs. They made it to the master bedroom, where Carlos sobbed on the bedspread, while Jay held him close and whispered soothing words.

Hours later, the DeVil heir lay on his back, exhausted from crying and murder, while Jay "ADHD" Jafarson was busying himself in digging through Cruella's drawers.

"Ew!" Jay snickered, tossing aside a pair of lacy underpants, before gasping in appreciation. "Oh! What have we here...?"

He pulled a strongbox from the bottom of the underwear drawer, and a well-placed high-heel to the lock had it falling open for him, easily. Jay pulled out a birth certificate for Carlos, and frowned.

"DeVil wasn't your mom's married name?" Jay asked curiously.

"Nah. She never married. I dunno why she gave me her maiden name instead of my father's."

"It says on this birth certificate that your name is Carlos Jotunson. Doesn't note the father." Jay remarked, before passing it over to his boyfriend on the bed. It was an Isle birth certificate, meaning that the baby was delivered by a midwife or half-qualified doctor, and they signed the certificate once the parent filled out relevant information. Carlos' attending physician was apparently Mother Gothel, who had experience with babies, at least.

"Jotunson. I wonder who that is." Carlos mused aloud. "I doubt Gothel would know." The white-haired boy murmured to himself. "Oh, look. I think I'm actually sixteen now, see the date here?"

"Great. I'm less of a cradle robber..." Jay noted with slightly less enthusiasm. "Why would your mom lie about your birth date anyway?"

"I think it was less about lying, and more like she just forgot. I mean, check out this lockbox, for instance: it was nearly rusted shut, so she clearly hadn't opened it in a while."

"Did she do that a lot?" Jay asked casually. "Forget important stuff, that is."

"All the time." Carlos rolled his eyes. "She always had a henchman do the shopping, and she forgot I even _existed_ , some days."

"Then, when she wasn't yelling at me, she'd call me Luke, sometimes." Carlos added, with a far-away look.

"Who's Luke?" Jay asked, pausing for break in his rummaging through Cruella's personal effects.

"Not a clue." The white-haired boy muttered. "All I know is that my mother loved Luke more than she ever loved me."

• • •

Audrey was losing him. Call it a girlfriend's intuition, but somehow, she knew she was losing Ben. Sometimes he had such a wistful dreamy look that could only mean he was in love, and she knew it wasn't meant for her, because Ben hadn't looked at her like that in years. In fact, now that Audrey thought about it, he'd _never_ looked at her like that before.

To be fair though, she didn't know if _she'd_ ever looked at him like that, either.

Audrey had been thinking a lot about love lately, because love was on her mind. Recently, her parents had separated, and were living apart (not divorced, mind you, because Phillip would _die_ before relinquishing his half of Aurora's kingdom). Audrey had asked her mother why they'd gotten married in the first place, if her father and mother were clearly not in love. Wasn't True Love the standard to which all Auradon princesses were held?

"How did father save you from your curse if he isn't your true love?" Audrey had asked, recalling how Phillip's kiss had awoken her cursed mother in the famous story that everyone knew.

"Audrey..." Aurora had sighed deeply, and shook her head, biting her bottom lip, as she often did when she was thinking hard about something.

"There is magic in the world... magic that you cannot possibly understand." The queen explained simply. "The queen mother, your grandmother Leah knows, and your grandfather, were he still alive -"

"King Stefan, Bless his soul." Audrey interrupted with bowed head, as was the custom in her country. King Stefan was well respected in Moorland for finally ending the war between the fae and the humans, and the honorific was accorded after his death.

"Yes, well, your grandfather would tell you to _never_ walk the Moors at night, and _never_ fall in love on Beltane." Aurora continued, in a half-dreamy voice. "God knows he told _me_ often enough."

"Mother, what on Earth do you mean? For goodness sakes, what are you talking about?" The young princess finally explained with furrowed brows. Had her mother finally lost it? Snapped under pressure?

"All I'm saying is this, Audrey: there is magic out there that means more to us than true love's kiss. The faerie do not recognize you as their heir, as they do me, and you would do well to remember that." Aurora finished, and swept out of the room. If Audrey was correct, she was probably going to ask the servants for the good wine, and cry in her chambers for a few hours, as she usually did after a big fight with her husband.

Audrey was many things, but she was not an idiot.

She went to her mother to ask questions about the ruling of a nation, because her father was a notorious idiot who seemed to enjoy wasting the family fortune in exotic climes, and she couldn't easily trust him. Queen Mother Leah was all too ready to hand over the reins of ruling a kingdom and finally deal with her grief, and she refused to answer questions from Audrey, unless they had to do with royal ettiquette or potential betrothals. King Phillip was the last of three sons, and his parents rather looked down on the little kingdom that was wrenched, year after year from the fae. So the authority figure Audrey could trust to teach her about running a kingdom was her mother Aurora.

Aurora, who was given the name _Briar Rose_ (a fae name) by the three faeries who raised her in the forest. Aurora, who knew everything about dreams and beauty, and nothing about economy and social politics. Aurora, who was fae blessed and fae raised, and _anything but_.

Audrey was _perfectly freaking aware_ of how totally unprepared she was to one day rule a kingdom. She was spoiled and immature, but she wasn't _stupid_. If The Moorland went one more generation with a fully incompetent queen, the faerie wars would likely begin anew, and Audrey's children would not survive them.

Audrey knew she was not ready to rule a kingdom.

But _Ben_ was.

Auradon's golden boy had been raised to rule - led by Queen Belle, the most beautiful and intelligent queen who ever lived, and King Adam, the most powerful and charismatic king of his generation. He was taught from the cradle how to be a proper king, because Auradon was his, and he had only to take it. As princess of a smaller and strife-ridden kingdom, Audrey should have had, by _custom_ , no chance with Ben. But because their mothers were good friends, they'd been raised together, and Ben's parents acted like there was only a matter of time until betrothal.

Audrey wasn't stupid, but she _w_ _as_ cunning. What did she have going for her, really, besides her looks and charm? She had one chance to seduce and marry Ben, who was more prepared to rule her kingdom than she would ever be.

It was her only chance.

And if there was one thing Aurora taught her daughter, it was that a princess could still live in safety and luxury, even if her husband was _not_ her true love.


	16. Chapter 16

"Delivery! Compliments 'a House DeVil!" Horace exclaimed as he and his cohort Jasper, carried pile after pile of fur coats into the lobby.  


"What?" Evie blinked, clearly quite confused about what was going on. There was no way Cruella would give up her furs, so the only logical explanation pointed to the old hag being dead. Luckily, the henchmen had brought a note from Carlos that explained a little.

_"Evie & Mal,_   
_These are a late wedding present to you. The old lady forced my hand, but despite hogbw much I hate those blasted furs, I'm donating them to the cause. I bet some of the longer ones will be warm on beds in the winter. Anyway,_ _Cruella's_ _out of the way now, and Hell Hall is my main base. The device is coming along nicely._   
_Your Friend, Carlos."_

"Can you take a return message?" Evie asked the two, who shrugged rather densely.

"S'pose we can, miss." Jasper spoke, as Evie jotted down a quick note.

"Here. Bring this back. It isn't time-sensitive." The blue princess explained politely, before grabbing hold of some children to help her carry the furs to her workshop. The buzz of sewing machines running was like music to Evie's ears, as five workers employed by the court set to making the leather uniforms for the army. Another twenty or so were working on blankets for beds, and clothes, so that these children could have more than one functional outfit.

Mal had stated that anyone working could be paid with two daily meals. Anyone who'd been working for six months would be eligible to earn money too. Anyone who'd worked for a year or more would still be fed in the event that they got hurt or sick, and could no longer work until they'd recovered. When asked about it once, Mal had replied that one didn't gain people's loyalty by kicking them when they were down. Mal had explained that if anyone was willing to work for her with dedication, she _wanted_ their loyalty. A good worker wasn't one to be wasted.

For the first time, the people of the Isle began to understand something they'd never grasped before; if you work hard, you reap the benefits. In Auradon, many of these people had been beggars or petty thieves, because in Auradon, you couldn't count on a steady paycheck. In some more progressive regions (New China, Maldonia, Agrabah), the rulers were enacting reforms to help the common worker if they were sick or hurt, or if they couldn't find work. In Charmington and Moorland though, as Ben had so aptly pointed out to Audrey: there were no protections in place for a bad harvest, or a debt that couldn't be repaid, or an injury. In Oceania, Ariel's domain, the cost of living was so high that the head of household often worked multiple jobs to keep a family afloat.

Mal worked her employees hard on the Isle, but on the Isle at least, there was an unspoken brotherhood. Once you were employed by House Morgana, you belonged to Mal, and Mal took care of her own, thus ensuring their loyalty in a way that Auradonian princes simply never bothered to.

• • •

"Hello everyone, and welcome to the first meeting of the Auradon Council club." Ben announced, glancing at the assembled room with pride. He'd run the idea of a council politics club by Fairy Godmother with astoundingly positive results. Every royal wanted to prepare their heirs for life after Auradon Prep, but few actually knew how to go about it. The idea of a club to prepare the students for ruling was hailed as a great idea, but for Ben, it was more than that.

It was a way to sound out the students' political views, and sway them to his side now, while they were still young and impressionable.

"What's the first order of business, Ben?" Jane asked earnestly. She was Ben's first secret weapon. Jane was trusting, kind, and desperate for some kind of leverage, so that she could finally shake her embarrassing nickname of Plain Jane. When Chad heard that a non-royal descendant would be attending the council club, he quit immediately, which suited their purposes just fine.

"I actually have a few ideas, but I'll let the club president go first." Lonnie smirked, and while Ben didn't know her that well, he knew that she was athletic and smart, and the child of one of the 'New Royals' as they'd been coined in the high society circles. It wasn't that her family had newly come into money (The Fa family was a line of distinguished generals - Mulan wasn't a commoner), but rather that they had newly joined Auradon, and their kingdom was more of an alliance than a province under King Adam.

"Well, for our first order of business, I'd like to talk about the Isle of The Lost." Ben announced, and didn't hear any gasps or shocked outrage, so that was a good sign.

"We all know that the villains placed on the isle deserve their fates, but there are children suffering alongside their parents, children _our_ age and younger, who never committed the crimes of their parents. These children are still eating nothing but the scraps we send from Auradon, and have none of the luxuries we enjoy here, like shampoo, ample soap, hot running water, mattresses that aren't collapsed, and other necessities that we take for granted." The young prince explained, relishing in the look of shock on his friends' faces.

"The entire reason my family sent Shan Yu and his inner circle to the island, was so that we could prevent his terror attacks from harming more innocent people." Lonnie explained. "Are you telling me that the Isle doesn't have guards, or a way to extract innocent children?"

"That's exactly what I'm telling you." Ben replied, stoic and calm. "There are children and even innocent adults, living in squalor and poverty, and it's our parents' fault."

"What can we do?" Fatima, Aziz's little sister asked, near tears, and several of the students echoed her sentiments.

"As my first order of business, I'd like to suggest a fundraiser: We all pitch in to gather the money needed to send first aid kits, soap, clean drinking water, and warm blankets to the kids on the Isle." Ben explained. "A heavily armed delegation will then deliver those supplies, and make sure they end up in the hands of those who really need them."

"Why all the firepower?" Lonnie asked, a bit confused.

"If we don't regulate the drop off, anyone with power will just swoop in and hoard the supplies before the people who need them can get them." Ben explained. "On the Isle, power is everything. Poverty stricken children, women, and beggars are on the very bottom of the social order."

Ben knew that things were different now that Mal had taken over, but he still had to keep up appearances.

"Ahem, if I may interject? Aren't things different after the latest coup?" A clear voice echoed out over the murmurs. It was Nicole, daughter of Tiana and Naveen. The king and queen of Maldonia were very insistent that their eldest child stay informed with politics, so they kept her updated on the happenings in high court meetings.

"I agree," noted Aziz, reclining nonchalantly in his chair. "Mal Morgana may be a terrorist with a body count, but there's order, at least."

"As the prince and heir of Auradon, I'm privy to a bit of classified information," Ben interjected, teasing them with rumors before he dropped a bit of true information, to gauge his peers' reactions. "Apparently, Mal is taking care of children. Orphans, victims of child abuse, children who simply can't be fed by their parents - all are welcome at Dragon Hall."

"How true are these rumors?" Lonnie asked, looking very interested.

"On the magical map that we use to monitor the Isle, I've personally observed children walking safely in the streets, healthy and wearing new clothes." Ben explained.

"New clothes?" Jane asked, confused.

"As opposed to rags, I bet." Aziz commented, to which Ben nodded. The young prince probably knew first-hand, as despite sweeping reforms by his parents, Agrabah still maintained one of the highest poverty rates in Auradon.

"Geez, I thought... I thought that even villains loved their children." Lonnie muttered bitterly.

"That's so sad!" Jane cried out, and her magic practically itched under her skin at the injustice. As a 'good' fairy, it was always her goal to help right wrongs - her magic wanted to do just that, no matter what the laws of Auradon said.

"So, if it's been confirmed that Mal Morgana is protecting the children, why don't we send the supplies directly to her, to distribute?" Fatima suggested.

"That might be a good idea," Ben noted. "We can send a small delegation to the Isle, and meet with Mal in person."

"If it's all the same, Ben, I'd really like to go." Jane added from the corner, much to everyone's surprise.

"Jane? Are you sure?" Lonnie interjected, narrowing her eyes. "From what I've heard, the Isle is a really dangerous place..."

"We'll be well protected, right? So it doesn't matter! Please let me come along!" Jane pleaded, and Ben finally nodded.

"Alright, but I don't think the headmistress will approve."

"My mother doesn't have to know, does she?" The young fairy asked with a mischievous smirk.

"I'm seriously digging this new bad-girl Jane." Lonnie grinned.

She didn't fully understand it, but for the first time in Jane's life, her magic was no longer itching and crawling beneath her skin, ready to burst out at the first sign of trouble. As Lonnie smiled, and Jane came to the understanding that she was doing real good, her magic finally _settled_ within her chest, fluttering like the wings she didn't dare to show.

Jane felt drawn to the Isle, in a way she didn't entirely understand. It had nothing to do with the Isle itself, and everything to do with Jane's magic. The subtlety of unseen currents that ran beneath her skin, compelling her to go go go, in a way that her mother refused to explain. Fairy Godmother understood the call like all the beings of the Moors did.

A new fae queen had been born.

• • •

"Queen Mal, I have news from the coastline." Uma announced at the beginning of the meeting.

"You may speak." Mal replied. Sometimes she felt a little silly, observing these made-up traditions, but pomp and circumstance was what kept Auradon in power, so they were determined to learn.

"You recall last winter, when we explained how the fish were unfit to eat?" Uma explained, and when she got an affirmative answer, continued. "After running some tests with the prisoners you so graciously provided, my Queen, we've concluded that not all of the fish have been poisoned. Some types are still good to eat, and we're making sure to throw out the kind we've learned is causing the sickness."

Evie smiled wickedly, recalling the three rapists she'd sent off to help Uma with her testing.

"Have you determined the cause of the tainted fish?" Evie asked, quirking an eyebrow. She had a theory about how it had happened, and she wanted to confirm her suspicions.

"Not quite, but we have a few theories." Uma explained. "At first, we thought it might be a rival crew. As you know, at that point in time, we were still at war with other ships occasionally."

"Like, Harriet, right?" Jay interjected. It was commonly known that in the Hook family, there were two children, an older sister and younger brother. Harry Hook was Uma's first mate, but Harriet was the captain of her own ship, and they often clashed over territory.

"Right." The sea witch confirmed. "Since then, we've united on that front, and accepted the other crews and ships into our division. None of them admitted to poisoning the fish, and honestly, I believe them. After all, they had casualties from the sickness, just like we did."

"And?" Mal waved her hand to speed things along. "What are your conclusions?"

"Well after our little experiment, we found out that the varieties of poisoned fish are all types that return to the mainland by stream to lay their eggs. I suspect that whatever happened to them, likely happened in the rivers of Auradon, since all the salt water fish seem fine."

"So once again, Auradon screwed us, and there's nothing we can do about it?" Jay shouted in frustration, smacking the table.

"Be calm, Jahid." Evie purred soothingly. "We have someone on the _inside,_ remember?"

Mal grinned, watching the exchange, and held up the enchanted mirror that was linked to Prince Ben.

" _Magic mirror, held so tight, show me now, your twin of light_." Mal chanted, and the clear glass shone blue, before an image of Ben appeared on its surface.

"My Queen." the prince nodded from behind the glass.

"Ben, we have a situation. Some of the fish in Auradon rivers are being poisoned, and we only discovered it when they made their way back to the ocean. Can you do some research, and find out how it happened?"

"I'll be right on it, my Queen. Thank you for alerting me to the situation. I have good news to bring, as well." Ben replied, smiling widely.

"You may speak."

"The Young Royals club at school is beginning a fundraiser to gather up first aid supplies and lots of necessities for the Isle." Ben grinned proudly. "What are some things you guys need?"

"Hold on a minute, Auradon kids? Actually agreed to help people on the Isle?" Mal exclaimed, looking just as shocked as everyone else felt.

"Well, not all students were so fond of the idea. A lot of them really want to help though," the next part, Ben added with a wry smirk. "I've found that the kids who want to help are also mostly the ones who care about ruling. A lot of the others are real slack offs."

"Slack offs?" Uma mouthed to Jay with a roll of her eyes. "That's the best insult he's got?"

"I actually have a list here, Ben." Evie smiled sweetly, and pulled out the notebook she used when taking inventory and noting what needed to be done around Dragon Hall. "We need new mattresses, bedsheets, soap, and rubbing alcohol. We need non perishable food items, like powdered milk, and oats and flour and pasta. We could also use some pharmaceuticals, like over the counter pain relievers. They're a lot harder to synthesize in potions." Evie explained.

"Urgh... I despise accepting charity." Mal muttered. "I hate having to owe someone."

"Think of it like this," Jay explained. "Those kids think it's charity, but it's really just like, what we truly _deserve_ in exchange for having to run this damn madhouse by ourselves."

"Right." Ben nodded firmly. "Once you're back on your feet, we can look into getting your island legitimized as a nation."

"Exactly." Evie cooed, "They made a big mistake in saying the Isle was an independent nation. We now have as good a claim as anyone to become part of Auradon."

"And when we do, the world will take notice." Carlos smirked, and flashed a wink at Ben through the mirror.

"Let's get ready to begin phase three." Jay announced proudly.

Phase one had been establishing an army. Phase two was taking full control of the Isle. Phase three meant becoming a part of Auradon, through the legal channels, so that no one could force them out again.

And as for phase four? Auradon would never be the same again.


	17. Chapter 17

On the day of the drop off, Jane stood on the deck of the ship that was cutting through the waves, to the Isle of the Lost. Ben stood beside her, and they both looked out to the grimy shore of the Isle in quiet contemplation.

"Why were you so insistent that you come along?" Ben finally asked. This was the first time they'd been alone together since she'd brought it up, and the prince was curious. So far as he knew, Jane was the most timid, scared girl he knew. Why was she so eager to approach an island of villains?

"It was actually all thanks to you, Ben." Jane replied, and looked back at him with cloud-grey eyes, and a smile that seemed so out of place with her usual timid frown. "When you asked me to enchant that mirror, I said 'no' at first, because I was afraid of my magic, and what it could do."

"I'm sorry I deceived you." Ben replied, because it was polite, even though he didn't quite mean it.

"You didn't trick me." Jane laughed. "I decided to take a chance. That's why I read the words and worked the magic. It wouldn't have worked if I didn't will it to."

Ben nodded, but was silent. The girl continued.

"Once I started, and finally let the magic out, I didn't want to stop. It felt natural, right. So when the magic told me to go, I went. It's that simple." Jane finished.

"Why would your magic be pulling you to the Isle?" Ben asked, curiously, as he peered through the gloom of the nearby barrier.

"I'm a seelie fae, what people usually call a 'good fairy'. It might be that my magic wants me to do some good, and that's the place that needs it most." Jane explained. "I really don't know, Ben. There's so much about magic that I don't understand."

"Maybe Mal can help you." Ben noted. "She's a half-faerie too."

"No, she's fully fae, just as I am." Jane explained. "This is one thing I _do_ know; a faerie mother will always have a fae baby, no matter _who_ , or _what_ the father is."

They didn't speak after that, both preferring to simply sit and think together, on their way to the rotting port of the Isle.

Once the supply boat docked on the shore, the two Auradonians were greeted by Yen Sid, who ushered them off the ship. Hundreds of pirates milled around the docks, gazing hungrily at the ship, and it made Jane a bit uncomfortable.

"Mr. Sid, pardon, but is this, um, safe?" She asked tentatively, and the old wizard laughed.

"Yes, yes, these pirates are the main law enforcers on the island, and they're here to distribute the goods." He explained.

"Law enforcement? They look like thugs!" Ben exclaimed.

"Did I just hear someone insult my crew?" A voice hissed from nearby, and Uma drifted into sight, startling Jane backwards. Ben forced himself into a courteous bow.

"Deepest apologies, Lady Triton." Ben said, realizing when she appeared that this was the same young woman he saw during meetings of the Dragon Court, even though her formal wear was gone, and she wore a grimy doublet with boots and gloves, and an embroidered patch shaped like an octopus with an overlaid trident. Looking around, Ben saw that many of the people bustling around them wore similar patches, but all were different, and seemed to proclaim different factions. The painted graffiti on the walls of nearby buildings were like larger versions of the crests on jackets and lapels.

"Save your apologies for someone who believes it, Princey. Your status as an honored guest is the only thing keeping you safe, and you'd do well to remember it." Uma noted, before she barked out an order to a nearby crew member, and disappeared unsettlingly back into the crowds.

"This is honestly both thrilling and terrifying." Ben muttered, once they'd gotten out of earshot. "Where are we meeting with Mal?"

"Two of her lieutenants are giving us the guided tour of Dragon Hall, I've been told." Yen Sid replied, and when the group arrived at the graveyard, Evie and Carlos were waiting for them.

"Welcome to our humble home, Prince Ben." Evie pronounced sweetly, and courtsied. Carlos took in Ben and Jane with an appraising look that made them both feel like the only people in the world, and they _loved_ it.

"I thank you for the tour, Queen Evie." Ben grinned like a doofus, and Jane got the sense that he knew these villains from more than just watching through the magic map, and she resolved to ask him about it later.

"Follow me, milady." Carlos bowed to Jane in a way that made her heart feel like fluttering wings, and extended an arm like a gentleman.

The group made their way into Dragon Hall with it's earthy smell and flickering lights.

"I apologise for the messiness of the place. Auradon dumped us here without much to work with." Evie noted bitterly, and Jane felt her magic _pulse_ at that. It was strange, being under the barrier. The magic that Jane had always carried, crawling under her skin, was just... Gone, as if she had imagined it. As if she was _normal_. It was both relieving, and disturbing, and when she felt the magic pulse again, it startled her. How did magical beings live here?

"Welcome to the kitchens." Carlos explained, gesturing to indicate the room, filled with working goblins.

"You use goblin labor?" Ben asked, impressed. "How're they treated?"

"Ask them yourself." Carlos replied, a bit flippantly. As someone who worked a lot with goblins, he despised it when people treated them as subhuman. They were sentient beings after all.

"Ahem, excuse me, do any of you speak English?" Ben called out, and several goblins rolled their eyes, but one stepped forward.

"Yes, Mr...?" The diminutive fellow asked.

"Ben. _Prince_ Ben."

"What was it you wanted, _prince_ Ben?" The goblin asked, and the young ruler got the feeling that the fellow didn't like him very much.

"How are you treated here?" the Prince asked, and the goblin nodded slowly, before replying.

"Well, we _were_ treated like _shit_. Many of us worked for the Evil Queen and Maleficent, and when they were sent here to the Isle, we were too, because we were their 'evil minions'." The goblin rolled his eyes, complete with finger quotes.

"You weren't evil minions?" Ben asked, not really believing it.

"No! My gods, it was just a _job_!" the goblin replied bitterly. "Unlike Dwarves, our miner cousins, we can only find work as housekeepers and no one wanted to hire us! We have to feed our families _somehow_!"

Ben had to admit to himself that he never thought of goblins having families. To be honest, he never thought of goblins at all, except once a year when his father complained that the dwarves were trying to get them released again.

"Do, do your people wish to return to Auradon?" Ben asked, feeling rather noble. After all, his father had refused these creatures before, maybe this was the heroic change that Ben was meant to make.

The goblin spat at him. Not literally, but he mimicked the motion, which in goblin culture, is considered a potential insult.

"Back to the land that put us on this island for thirty years without parole or trial? To the place that wouldn't hire us in the first place? I think not!" The goblin snarled. "Mal treats us much better than her mother did, and we have work here, which is all we ever asked for! We even have Mondays off!"

At that, the goblin turned his back on Ben, and grumbled to his watching friends in rapid-fure goblinese. Suddenly, as one, the entire room spat at Ben, and turned their backs on him.

"I believe you've insulted our employees, Ben..." Evie cautiously mused. The young Prince sank in on himself.

"I didn't mean to, Queen. Just sort of... Happened." The boy sighed.

"Shall we carry on then?" Carlos asked, carefully schooling his face and voice to hide the smirk. He understood what Hegeveny the head goblin chef had said to his friends, and it wasn't very flattering.

The party continued their tour with Evie's workshop, where people labored at desks. Some had sewing machines, but most were doing their stitches by hand. They were working on all kinds of projects, but the ones with the machines seemed to be working with leather, which Jane imagined would be harder to hand-sew than fabric.

"Welcome to my humble workshop!" Evie exclaimed proudly. "Here is where the magic happens. We create blankets, quilts, and clothing, for our kids here. Not to mention, this room provides work for the twelve people you see stationed here."

"Impressive!" Ben noted, and the people in the workshop seemed healthy and focused.

Next, the group went outside, to the greenhouse that Ben had helped fund.

"The farming initiative is coming along well," Carlos explained, nodding to the rows of little green sprouts in the soil. "But we still don't know how well plants will grow here. Under the smog and the barrier, it's possible that they'll die, like everything else does. The only plants that ever succeed here are the kinds that grow in the Forbidden Forest, not really suited for feeding a whole country."

Next, the group headed back inside, and entered through a back door into a place that Evie called 'The Throne Room'. Ben emerged into a room of hewn stone, like the rest of Dragon Hall, but at the front, Mal sat, perched in a tall throne that was very clearly Maleficent's. She was dressed in a gorgeous black and purple gown, and a crown sat atop her head, mimicking the design of her mother's horns. Ben thought she looked magnificent.

Jane fell to her knees then, and cried.

"My Queen, the true queen." She wept, and her magic stirred, shaking and rattling in her chest like pneumonia, and it _screamed_ : "Yes, yes, _yes_ , this is the true queen of the fae, at last."

For when Mal Morgana had killed her mother, she had taken the throne that was never Aurora's to begin with, and though, like Jane, they may not understand, every fairy across the world _felt_ it.

"What do you mean?" Mal asked, curious, and her voice was like ringing bells to Jane, soothing the magic that _itched_ under her very skin. _This_ was why she'd been summoned.

"My mother told me," Jane murmured. "That there are only two ways to take the throne. The queen of fae must be born to the queen, or steal the throne by right of conquest."

"I was born of my mother, and then I killed her." Mal whispered, and it suddenly clicked. Maleficent had laughed, because if this was true, Mal was doubly validated. Queen of Fae by Blood _and_ Conquest. Moorland was hers, not by human laws, but by the laws of _magic_ , and it made her heart _sing_ to realize it.

"I pledge my fealty to the true queen of the fae: seelie or unseelie, fair or fallen." Jane murmured, reciting words she'd never heard, words that her magic told her as part of her sacred heritage. "I am your vassal, second coming of Titania."

"Rise." Mal replied, and put a hand on Jane's shoulders. "Who are you?"

"Jane Fairweather, daughter of the Fairy Godmother!" The girl squeaked, seemingly broken from the spell that had driven her actions up until now.

"Don't be afraid." Mal quickly spoke. "You have powerful blood. You are nearly my equal."

"N-not me, Mal! I - I mean, _Queen_ Mal, that is -"

"Hush." Mal replied softly, and Jane did. "It's the truth. You are the light equivalent to my darkness. It's how this has always been. You are Puck to my Mab, and you're important in Fae hierarchy."

"No one in Auradon thought I was important." Jane gushed, tears filling her eyes and spilling down her cheeks, as her faintly pointed ears peeked through her pageboy haircut. "No one thought I was anything but a non royal freak. A sidekick at best."

"Then they're idiots, and unworthy of you." Mal replied, drying the girl's tears, before she turned to Ben, a certain coldness in her eyes. "You're lucky, Prince. Today I'm holding court. You get to see our judicial system in action."

"I'm eager to see what happens. Is that why we came in through a back door?" The Prince asked.

"Of course. I wasn't sure you'd be able to get through the line outside." Mal smirked. Of course, Evie could have gotten the crowd to move, but Ben didn't necessarily need to see the awe and fear that they inspired in their subjects. That was a story for another time.

"In any case, take a seat on one of the benches in the audience area and we'll soon get started." Mal explained, just as Jay entered the room, and settled into a much smaller throne beside Mal. Evie and Carlos sat down on either side of their lovers and the purple haired girl gave a signal. A young man near the door opened it up, and the first wave of petitioners came rushing in. Ben didn't know it, but this was Antoine Tremaine, who had a noble house, but not quite noble or powerful enough to earn a spot on the council, though he was welcome to usher in the Queen's subjects and have an audience with Mal when he needed it, which was more than most people could say.

"Evie, love, who is the first petitioner?" Mal asked, and her wife checked down the list she was given by Antoine, who usually noted the names of the subjects who came up on court days, with a brief summary of their problem.

"Majorie Beauvais, a woman who claims to have an abusive husband." Evie explained the accusations.

"Marjorie Beauvais, step forward please." Mal announced, and a woman with a ragged bonnet stepped out from the crowd. She looked weary, and approached with caution, before curtsying lightly.

"My Queen. Thank you for hearing my humble petition." The woman spoke gratefully, and blushed when Mal looked upon her with a smile.

"You say your husband is abusive to you?" Mal asked, and the woman nodded.

"Yes, milady." She pulled down her high collar to show a bruise on her throat. "There are more of these, all done by that bastard in his drunken fits."

Mal did not ask if the woman knew he was abusive before she married him. If he was, she might have married him anyway, simply for protection, like so many girls did on the Isle before Mal took over.

"This court does not take kindly to abuse, but it doesn't tolerate false accusations either. There is a simple way to find out." Mal explained with an even tone. She gave off the image of a wise and just ruler. "You may stay at one of our safehouses. If your husband comes looking for you, we'll see what he's like. If he doesn't, you're safe either way. Are you willing to work in exchange for your safety?"

"Of course, My Queen. You're too kind to me." The woman bowed down, as if in prayer, and Mal motioned for her to rise.

"Carlos, go with this woman and make sure she gets to her destination safely." Mal proclaimed, and the pale boy rose up to guide the woman out. Once out of the throne room, Mal knew that Carlos would see what the woman was best at, to know where to place her. If they discovered the man was an abuser, he'd be killed by Mal herself, and the woman would be given the option to go back to her home.

"Next petitioner!" Mal called out, and Evie called the next name. A man came up with ragged clothes, two scrawny children in tow.

"My Queen." He bowed low to the ground. "I've been making money how I can, but my children aren't getting enough to eat. They cry at night, and I can't help them. I've already lost my wife and youngest child to illness. Please help my children." The man sobbed on the floor, and Mal nodded.

"There's no need for groveling. Send your children to school, where they'll be fed, and send yourself to sign up for work. All Court jobs pay a living wage. If any of you are ill, visit our resident witch during her office hours."

"A thousand thanks, my Queen." the man bowed again, and brought his children with him as he left to go with Antoine, who held the sign-up sheets, assisted by Dizzy. Mal suspected that this last man was the type who'd been sent to Auradon  
on flimsy crimes or accusations, and he was too proud or honest to resort to criminal means to take care of his family.

It continued on like that, for several minutes until, a surprising guest stepped into the room. It was Mother Gothel, who stepped into the room, and fixed Mal with a steely glare.

"I want my daughter back."

"I was under the impression that Ginny was sixteen. Hardly a child, wouldn't you say, Gothel?" Mal sneered right back

"I _need_ her back though! I created her! She owes me for taking care of her for all those years! She needs to gather my stock from the forbidden forest! I'm too old to do it myself!" The old woman hissed.

"I highly doubt that's the whole story, Gothel. Tell me the truth, or I'll keep Ginny right here out of spite." Mal replied bitterly.

"Fine!" The old witch snapped. "I heard she was having a baby, and I _need_ that baby!"

"For what?" Jay interrupted from the throne beside Carlos, leaning forward, disturbed. "I doubt it's because of the joy of raising a grandchild."

"I... Made a deal. There are demons here on the Isle, you know that! I made a deal to bring them the blood of an innocent soul to restore my youth!" Gothel rambled on, not realizing that the Queen and her wife were looking down at her with scorn. "There are no fucking virgins or innocents left here! I _need_ that baby!"

"I think you need a reality check." Carlos muttered.

"You seriously think that Mal, champion of the downtrodden and Evie, mother to all children would seriously let you kidnap a baby for a _human sacrifice_?" Jay muttered, disbelieving.

"Antoine, come get this hag, and take her to the dungeon." Mal muttered under her breath, and the Tremaine boy came forward, two of Mal's soldiers flanking him on either side.

"And you! You, stupid son of a whore!" Mother Gothel screamed at the boy who was directing the guards. "You're the one who knocked her up, you bastard! If it wasn't for you, I could've killed _her_!"

Mal glanced at Ben, chalk white as the woman was dragged out, and rolled her eyes, as if to say 'see what I have to deal with on a daily basis?'

To say it was an eventful day, would be quite the understatement.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Contains: A lot of F bombs, and severe Isle trauma, including rape, and abuse. This chapter is all about how the girls of the Isle defend themselves. There's a scene at the end where Dizzy uses self defense to fight off an attacker in a really badass way, but she's in danger, even though you know ahead of time she'll be safe. As always, the interlude chapters are optional, so you can totally skip this if it's too intense for you.
> 
> A/N: in the books, Maddie went to a witches-only school, but I have serious doubt that not one, but three schools could exist on the Isle in this AU. Thus Maddie was homeschooled after the incident with Mal, and Serpent Prep doesn't exist.

The Isle of the Lost did not have damsels in distress.

The damsels who were in trouble slit the throats of their attackers and bathed in their blood. Failing that, they found someone who was strong enough to walk them to and from school. After all, it was better to have sex with your sort-of-likable boyfriend than to suffer rape at the hands of a stranger.

Evie and Mal had never had the problem of self defense, because Mal's mother had taught her how to claw and fight and kill from the age of infancy, so she could fight like a wildcat. Evie's mother had taught her how to brew a potion that burned the eyes and skin (peppers steeped in alcohol, and bleach and magic muttered over the cauldron, careful not to breathe the fumes).

With the two of them watching each other's backs, no one ever tried to mess with the two princesses of the Island.

• • •

As soon as she hit puberty, Ginny Gothel found boys to take care of her, and she became sort of known around school as a slut. It was common knowledge that she would spread her legs for protection, for male classmates, and for girls too, if they were tough enough. The Tremaines were a huge clan, and if Antoine and Daria weren't around, their many sisters would be somewhere nearby, and Tremaines watch out for their own. Once she realized that, Ginny hung around the cousins like glue, because they were nice to her, which was a good change, and she hadn't needed to be protected in a long time.

Until the night Ginny's mother found out about her less than reputable reputation.

"I _fucked_ you into existence because I _needed_ you, Ginny!" She'd screamed. "I needed the blood of an innocent to restore my youth!"

She'd messed up with Rapunzel, she'd been too lenient and kind, and she'd tried so hard to keep Ginny at home, and safe from the corrupting influences of the Isle. Too late, she realized that her little girl was not so little anymore, and how was she supposed to restore her youth!?

After that night, Ginny left, and didn't return. She'd spent her whole childhood learning how to keep from getting murdered, and she wasn't going to let her mother put all that work staying alive to waste.

"Fuck you, mom." Ginny had muttered, before she dodged a thrown liquor bottle, and slipped out the window.

• • •

Mad Maddie, the granddaughter of Mad Madam Mim, never had it much better. Her mother was killed while Maddie was still a child, and she lived in Uptown, where all the most magical villains lived. She actually lived in the house just a block across from the Bargain Castle, and she grew up as sort-of-not-quite friends with Mal.

Until Mal's sixth birthday, when Maleficent had thought they were getting too close, and whispered words of division into her daughter's ear.

"Don't you just hate that she has the same hair as you? Your hair is so unique! Or so I thought... It seems you're just as typical as any other child." The woman had muttered.

And it was true, they both had long purple hair, and Mal _hated_ that. She hated the thought of being _average_ , because average would never make her mother proud. So Mal asked sweetly if she could have a sleepover.

The next morning, Maddie's hair had been crudely hacked clean off.

A note was left behind: "No one outshines me. Your hair was hideous, so I did you a favor and cut it off."

After that, Mal didn't see Maddie, her first friend, for many years afterward. In fact, she had struggled to decide on coming to Dragon Hall when it was revealed that Mal had taken over. She never went to school before. She was taught to read and write and do basic math by her grandmother, and after that, she only learned spells and hereditary magic. Useless under the damned barrier.

The whole reason Maddie wanted to befriend Mal, was to get out from under the thumb of her _literally insane grandmother,_ who scuttled around the room pretending to be the crabs and mice and dragons she could once turn into, before the _thrice damned barrier_ cut her off from her magic, and made her even madder.

But on the other hand, no one ever bothered her grandma Mim, because they were fucking _terrified_ of her, even helpless and magicless. So maybe, Maddie thought, if she acted as certifiably insane as her grandmother, no one would bother _her_ either. So she made a monthly appointment with the Curl Up And Dye, one of the few Isle inhabitants who could afford it, and dyed her hair ridiculous shades of green, blue, yellow, red, orange, and even _pink_ , but not purple. _Anything_ but purple.

And the craziest part? It actually worked. People took to thinking that Maddie was just as mad as her female relatives, and Mad Maddie as a persona was born. She intimidated market stall owners and scared the goblins into giving her free coffee, and she used scare tactics whenever she could, making everyone think she was as dangerous and messed up as Harry Hook, and it was what kept her alive.

But it didn't make her any friends.

• • •

Harriet was the first born, the older sister, the careful one. Captain Hook had seen her come out, carried by a grimy midwife and wrapped in a tiny, threadbare blanket, and had proclaimed her a girl. The old pirate had scowled. He was sure his child would be a boy, and he was so certain he hadn't even thought of a name if his child had been a girl.

"Let my wife name the brat." He muttered under his breath, and the midwife cast her eyes aside, dreading what was coming next.

"I - I'm sorry, sir. Your wife... She died in childbirth." The midwife explained, and Hook nearly threw his child down, then and there.

"My god, the wretch comes and kills my wife, too?" And Hook was one of those rare Isle husbands who actually loved his wife. She put up with him despite his obsession with a prepubescent magical boy, and she was a good woman with a good heart. If she was still here, Hook might have learned to love his daughter. As it was, he could barely tolerate her, especially because she'd indirectly contributed to her mother's death.

"Sir, the baby needs a name." The midwife cut in, and Hook only really had one name in mind.

"Harry. Harry-ette. Harriet? That's a girl's name, right?" He'd planned for a boy, waited and hoped for a boy, and he got a not-quite-Harry instead.

It was a happy coincidence that Hook's crew had also been banished to the Isle. If it weren't for them, Harriet Hook might not have survived her first year, between the drinking her father did, and her premature birth. The pirates of Hook's crew were criminals who pillaged, but they were actually sort-of decent men at heart, as Hook was too, once. Before Peter Pan drove him mad and tried to feed him to a crocodile that ticked like a clock.

As it stood, the crew loved having a baby around, and they all coddled her (especially Smee) like a troupe of doting uncles. They taught her how to fight, how to wield a sword (a rapier when she was a toddler, and a gladius when she turned fourteen.) So whenever a suspicious man on the street came near her, Harriet Hook had a sword on her hip, and practiced slitting throats like Auradon girls practiced ballet. She had to be the best, because her father had hated her from the moment she was born. She didn't have a choice, if she wanted to prove herself.

And then Hook remarried (a woman he didn't really love, who was only wed because he wanted a son, and no son of Hook's would be a bastard from an unwed mother.) Thus Harry was born. The old Captain had such high hopes for his son, but when it was discovered that Harry was a bit mouthy, and a little gay, and almost certainly insane, Hook nearly had a heart attack.

When he raised his hand to hit his son, (on the day the crap hit the fan) Harriet stepped between them, sword raised, and poised to sever her father's last good hand.

"Don't touch my little brother." She whispered, coldly, and Harry latched onto her leg, hugging her tightly to him. No one had ever protected Harry before his big sister did, and no one cared for him like she (and later Uma and Gil) had.

Harriet Hook was never a damsel in distress, but she knew a tragedy in motion when she saw it, and acted accordingly. She'd killed possibly more men than Mal herself, but in Harry's eyes, she was a hero.

• • •

Dizzy Tremaine was a lucky, lucky, girl. She'd survived the creeping illness that had taken her cousin Anne-Marie, and she grew up with the protection of all her older sisters and cousins, the infamous 'grand-stepsisters' that were known across the Isle. In truth, Antoine and Daria only had one older sister each, and two younger, making six Tremaine children in total, but there were a lot of Tremaine cousins on the Isle too, who weren't related directly to Lady Tremaine's progeny, and they had ended up on the Isle for different, unrelated reasons.

(After all, the Tremaines were from Charmington, the kingdom that sent more convicts to the Isle per year than any other country. And Charming would be damned if any of that family remained in _his_ kingdom.)

With so many girls running around, Dizzy could understand where the confusion came from. She was a very lucky girl. She'd come from a big family that protected her, and on top of that, Evie had taken an interest in Dizzy, and taken her on as an apprentice of sorts.

_"While allies and family are good, I strongly recommend that you learn self defense._ " Evie had explained. _"Your sister and I might not always be around to protect you."_

So Dizzy learned the moves, and cooked the potions, and recited the list of weaknesses until she knew it by heart.

"Eyes, knees, groin, throat. Eyes, knees, groin, throat." All the places that would give you an advantage if you hit them a certain way, the weaknesses of men.

It all paid off one day, not long after the formation of the court, but before the day of reckoning when Mal slaughtered the sinners in the market square.

"Hey there girlie. What are you doin' by yourself in place like this?" The man had said, creeping up to block Dizzy's escape as she dug in one of the garbage bins behind a bar downtown.

"Minding my own business. You?" Dizzy smirked, and her hand snaked into the pocket that held her aerosol potion. Evie had taught her well.

"I was just wondering if you wanted to come with me back to my place. I've got food to share." The man offered with a slimy smile, and Dizzy narrowed her eyes.

"Actually, I don't think so. I'll just give you a little warning before I kill you." The girl replied sweetly, with a wide smirk.

"Too bad, it wasn't a request!" The man growled, before circling closer like a vulture. Dizzy pulled out her potion, and spritzed it onto her attacker's face, relishing in his screams as the acid worked it's magic. She danced out of the way of the man's flailing fists, and slammed her penknife into the attacker's throat, watching from a distance as he screamed, and the screams turned into a burble as red blood spilled from his neck.

"I'm a lucky girl, or didn't you hear, mister?" Dizzy giggled. "You messed with the wrong girl, bastard."

There were no damsels on the Isle, not even in the youngest among them. Even Dizzy Tremaine, twelve years old, could kill a man as easily as a whim, and laugh at him as he bled out. Which was better? To become a murderer, or a victim? To the girls of the Isle, there was no question.

They would kill before they let someone take advantage of them.

And failing that, they would get _revenge_.


	19. Chapter 19

That afternoon, Ben and Jane ate with the four at their table in the cafeteria, and the two from Auradon were amazed at how they cooked with food that was half-expired and by all rights, would have been thrown out in Auradon. That was how it ended up over here, after all. Lunch was french onion soup, with toasted bread on top. It rivalled even the meals made in Auradon proper, which boasted some of the best cuisine in the world.

"Exquisite, milady." Ben exclaimed. "It's amazing what you can do with simple ingredients."

"It's amazing what you can do when it's a necessity." Mal replied icily. She _hated_ his condescending tone, because _his_ parents were the ones who put them in this rotting hell with no food or clean water! And she _knew_ she had to be nice to Ben, because he was their only hope for getting off of this pitiful rock, but for evil sakes, it didn't mean she had to _like_ it.

For dessert, they had chocolate chip cookies, baked with the ingredients Ben himself brought over.

Into the batter, one of the goblins dropped a single tear, taken from the cheek of Evie herself, who wept for the children who were still hungry, for the young mothers who died having babies they couldn't plan for. She wept for Mal, who would never grow wings and horns, her birthright, _stolen_ from her by her birth beneath the barrier.

That anguished tear was bottled and chilled, and kept for weeks, waiting for the day when it would be used in a love spell.

And that day was today.

"Thank you." Mal said to the goblin who put a cookie on the plate before her. Ben dug in immediately, and grinned as he savored the taste. Of course Ben's cookie was memorized, and kept seperate from the others. Mal had paid her kitchen staff a good bonus for this, and if they had any doubts about giving a magic cookie to the prince of Auradon, those hesitations were lost after Ben's earlier display in the kitchens. There was no love lost, between him and the goblins.

A love spell was the kind of thing that didn't require excess magic to be poured into it. The magic came from the ingredients. Thus, like many of Evie's potions, it worked just fine under the barrier (and it didn't hurt that Mal was so powerful that the barrier could never keep her magic back for long.) As Ben finished eating his cookie, Mal relished the look of love that came over him. Jane had taken a small notepad from her pocket, and she was writing, not noticing the change.

"I think I love you." Ben suddenly blurted out, drawing the shock (however false it might be) of everyone at the table.

"I think I always have," the prince continued, rambling, with flushed cheeks and wide eyes. "I used to dream about you Mal, before I ever saw you. We'd walk together in a meadow, and dance."

"Ben?" Mal asked, raising an eyebrow, voice sweet with sympathy. "A-are you feeling alright?"

"No, I'm not. I think I'm in love with you, Mal. Madly, stupidly, in love with a married woman." Ben murmured, looking feverish.

"That's okay, I don't mind sharing." Evie smirked, but the other three villain kids knew that what she really meant by that was biding her time. She could live with pretending to share Mal with Ben, because one day Mal would hand her his kingdom on a silver platter.

"Mal, come back with me. Come back to Auradon. I'll show them how good you are!" Ben exclaimed, reaching forward to clutch Mal's hand.

"You know I can't do that, Ben." Mal explained, with false sadness in her every word. "Without me, this place would fall apart! Don't you care about my subjects, prince?"

"No. I only care about you." Ben insisted. Jane had been watching with an enraptured gaze. She was writing when the love spell kicked in, but stopped when Ben made his confession.

"You need to go home, Ben. There are things that must be done, Things that Mal can't do from Auradon." Jane explained, proud that all of her diplomacy classes were finally paying off.

"If you helped my people, Ben, it would be the greatest gift you could give." Mal agreed, taking his hand in hers. "I have a task for you."

"Anything, my Queen, anything." Ben replied, looking into the faerie green eyes like a bottomless green lake that he was drowning in.

"You will take over from your father soon, yes?" Mal purred.

"Y-yes, when I graduate High School in two years." Ben explained.

"Good. I want you to lay the groundwork for a new addition to the United Kingdoms of Auradon. A small island called _Avalon_." Mal replied in a purr.

"Avalon. The island where Morgan LeFay took Arthur the First as he lay dying." Ben agreed, nodding as he recalled the story.

"A union that would only be beneficial to Auradon, yes?" Mal continued in a sweetly seductive tone.

"Yes, a purely beneficial addition to the Kingdoms..." Ben agreed. But in this state, lovesick as he was, Ben would have agreed to anything. In a few days, the strongest effects of the spell would wear off, and Ben would seem back to normal. He would think he was in love with her of his own accord, and maybe he was. After all, he'd dreamed of her since he was twelve.

But Mal was the sort of girl who'd rather have a plan, and a backup. Just in case Ben got noble and tried to tell someone about their plans, the love spell was insurance. Ben would never betray the one he loved.

"And when you turn eighteen, your first decree will be to officially invite my kingdom to be a part of yours." Mal smiled warmly.

"I can order them to accept you, you know." Ben noted.

"That wouldn't be right," Mal replied sweetly. "I want to do this the _right_ way."

The safe way. If the other nations voted Avalon into the council with open arms, it would be much harder to rescind the vote later on.

"And that's where I come in." Ben nodded, understanding completely.

"That's where you come in, my dear Ben." Mal purred, and stroked Ben's hair, running it through her fingers as he leaned into the touch.

On the way back to the docks, Evie turned to Jane, sensing she wanted to ask something.

"Yes, Jane?"

"Lady Evie, are you really all right with Mal having her hands all over Ben right now?" Jane asked, tentatively, afraid. "I know I'd be seething if the one I loved was with someone else."

"Oh Jane, _sweetie_ , we're _married_." Evie laughed, a clear and sweet laugh, and Jane thought to herself that surely no one with a laugh so sweet could be evil. "Ben might love Mal with all his heart, but my Queen's heart belongs to me, and me alone."

"I have another question, your highness." Jane spoke again, and Evie smiled at her.

"Just call me Evie, dear. You're our friend now, and that's cause enough for being informal."

"Evie, if - if we had more time, could Mal teach me more about the fae, and my heritage?" Jane offered, stuttering, terrified.

"You mean you would willingly offer to stay here on the Isle if it meant freedom to study magic?" Evie asked, with a look of amusement.

"Yes. In Auradon, I can't be myself. I know very little about my magic, and all that I did and said in front of Mal today was just instinct." Jane sniffled a bit, and looked like she wanted to cry.

"What about your mother? I don't want the Fairy Godmother coming down on us because you've gone missing." Evie explained, in a cautious tone.

"I have a note that I'm sending back with Ben. It will explain why I've decided to stay, and my mom will understand. It's a magic thing." Jane replied, and they walked onwards to the docks.

"A magic thing?" Evie clarified, and Jane showed her the note, which had been written during lunch.

" _Mother - I've found the queen, twice chosen. Once by blood, and once by conquest. Spread the word among the Moorlands that the new queen is on the Isle_."

"The Fairy Godmother will see this, and know it's true?" Evie asked, making sure. At this point in the game, it wouldn't do to slip up.

"She knows my handwriting." Jane explained. "Not to mention, when Mal became Queen, she felt it too. If it were any other case, all the fae would flock to her, to pay fealty, like I did. I think the barrier is making it hard to sense where she is with magic."

"All the more reason to bring it down." Evie murmured. Jane wondered about that, because weren't there still evil villains on the Isle? Didn't the barrier keep them inside?

At the docks, the pirates had already finished unloading the supplies, and the ship had only to lift anchor. Ben extended his hand to help Jane aboard, but she slipped her note into his hand instead.

"Give this to Mom. She'll understand why I have to stay." Jane explained, and the young Prince paled.

"If I go back to the mainland without you, I'll be in so much trouble!" Ben exclaimed, nearly trembling.

"It'll be fine, Ben. I promise." Mal cooed, easing his fears and renewing Ben's resolve.

"A-alright. I'll have faith in you, my Queen." The prince nodded resolutely, and Mal waved to him as the ship cast off. She kept smiling and waving until the ship was out of sight. Then, her face relaxed, and Mal's tension was almost visible as it left her shoulders.

"So that's done." Mal sighed, turning to Jane. "I expect your mother to believe you, but you'll need a disguise for when those old creeps use the map to spy on us."

"W-what!?" Jane squeaked, and Mal had to explain about the massive invasion of privacy that was the Magic Map. An enchanted parchment that could show the location and images of any villain named to it, at any time.

"How do you know we aren't always being watched!?" Jane asked, panicking just a bit.

"They usually only use it on council days. Ben and I specifically arranged the meeting on a day when the council room was empty." Mal explained.

Jane was immediately taken to the Curl Up and Dye, and the Tremaine sisters started working their magic on the young faerie's hair.

"Let's give it a good curl. At this length, it'll wave right around her cheeks and frame her face." Drizella insisted, and though they shot Mal funny looks as they worked, the glares from Evie and her Queen quickly shut them up, and they didn't ask questions.

Of course Jane would attract attention. She was plump and pretty, dressed in pastels, and looking so damn _Auradon_ that it frankly sickened most villains to see her. She was a reminder of what they'd lost, so Mal needed to fix that, _quickly_.

Jane went into the hair stylist with a drab bob. She came out with a twenties perm, feather-light curls that drifted around her face, dyed a blue-grey that made her look more like an Isle native than before. Evie gave her a witches corp outfit, quickly personalized for her. When they found out about her wings, Evie cut holes in the back of the dress, and sewed the edges, leaving two perfect slits for the shimmering wings to poke through.

"This is like a dream come true!" Jane gushed. "I've never looked pretty before! I was never able to show my wings at school, either!"

"One more thing, Jane." Evie cooed, and attached a patch - two dark horns on a shield of purple - the crest of the house of Morgana.

"You're mine now, Jane. Under my protection. And as long as you wear that badge, no one will harm you." Mal explained, and Jane's heart _fluttered_ , feeling that far-off tickle of her magic, and knowing that this was _right_.

• • •

Fairy Godmother looked at the slip of paper in her hands. It was powder-blue, like all the other pages in Jane's memo book, and covered in her handwriting. She didn't need her wand to know that it was her daughter's note.

There were a lot of things Mrs. Fairweather didn't tell her daughter about magic, and for good reason. Here in Auradon, Fairy Godmother was given the option to relinquish her magic wand, or have it taken by force. The other witches and fairies and magic folk who used their talents for less honorable deeds were not given a choice. The Evil Queen for example, was given no say in the matter when her mirror was smashed and she was just expected to agree politely as her magical family heirloom was destroyed, with no hope of use for future generations.

The removal of magic from Auradon was swift and brutal, and Mrs. Fairweather always believed her daughter would be safer if she knew nothing of her magical heritage. Now, her tight lipped responses had driven innocent, naïve Jane into the hands of Mal Morgana. The worst part was that Fairy Godmother found she agreed more with Mal than with King Adam, and _that_ scared her.

If Jane was right, (and how could she be wrong - The magic was guiding her now) then it was her responsibility to let the other fae of Mal's tribe know that the Queen was behind a barrier, on an island far off the coast. Under normal circumstances, the unseelie court would have begun a pilgrimage to find Mal as soon as she killed her mother, led by their magic in an instinctual migration. The barrier (that barrier that Fairy Godmother herself had designed) ensured that no magic could get in, or out, blocking the fae from sensing their Queen.

All the fae of Auradon could sense that a new Queen had arrived, but no one knew how to find her until now. The entire case was unprecedented.

And Fairy Godmother briefly contemplated disobeying her family's heritage and taking Mal's secret to the grave. She'd forced back the magic in an attempt to play human her entire life, right? What would it hurt if she did it one more time, for the sake of Auradon?

And yet, FG once again came to the realization that ethically, it was her responsibility to tell the others. They'd want to know. They'd want to help her, and go see her, and maybe Mal would learn from it.

Maybe _King Adam_ would learn from it.


	20. Chapter 20

On the eve of Mal's seventeenth birthday, two very important things happened.

The first event, Mal had been expecting, and had been ready for it for several months now. Carlos had completed the device, and for her birthday present, Mal would have full access to her magic, if only for a few minutes. She'd delivered letters to each household on the island, informing them of what would happen. Anyone caught trying to escape while the barrier was down would be killed on sight. Mal advised her subjects to stay indoors and enjoy the use of their magic.

The second, Mal did not know all about until years later. She watched on the night that all the fae of the Moorlands disappeared, never to be seen by Auradonian eyes for months to come. She watched as they arrived on the Isle to pay her fealty. She didn't learn of Fairy Godmother's involvement until many years later, when she took her throne in Auradon.

"It's time." Carlos announced, making a few last minute adjustments to the little box, adjusting the antenna, and crossing his fingers. "Ready when you are, Mal."

"I was born ready." Mal whispered, hand clutching at Evie's, and trying to keep the tremor from her voice. Magic was her birthright, stolen by her mother's mistake, and it was so unfair that Mal hoped she'd spontaneously grow wings when her magic hit.

The device started up, whirring as gears spun and components heated. None of the faeries born on the Isle had wings, because wings are created with magic at birth, and there was no magic on the Isle of The Lost. Magical creatures on the Isle struggled with frustration, because they had so much magic inside them, coiling beneath their skin, screaming to get out, that it came up to the surface in brightly colored hair and eyes. When the dome burst, would all that magic _hurt_?

"Three... Two... One." Carlos counted down, and as soon as the machine started, all four of the inner circle screamed, clutching their heads as they fell to the floor.

Evie felt her ancestral magic flow into her. Half of her potions work was merely chemistry and botany, those she could do easily behind the barrier. The other half were different, like the potion her mother once used to turn herself into a crone. Those required the use of magic, that up until now, she hadn't possessed

When the headache finally subsided enough to not be seeing double, Evie looked over to the others, and saw that Jay's wrists were shining with golden manacles that seemed flat against his skin like magical tattoos. Apparently, Jafar's once-upon-a-time genie status had been handed down to his son. Carlos glowed too, just a bit, and the air around him seemed colder by degrees. Why? Evie had no idea. He was still writhing, still screaming, still absorbing magic they'd never thought he had. They all assumed he was human, just as they thought Jay would be.

Minutes later, the boys had shaken out of their stupor (Jay first, and then Carlos), and Mal still screamed on the floor. The three looked to each other as they knelt by her side, holding her hands and petting her forehead as she cried in agony. Her ears were a bit more pointed now, and her hair shone like burnished metal overtop of her usual violet. Evie recalled that Maleficent's hair sometimes shone like that, at times when her eyes glowed green.

"Should we be worried about this?" Carlos asked, concern creeping into his voice. "She's been out a lot longer than we were."

"I don't know." Evie whispered, shocked and afraid. "I want to help her, but I don't know how."

She had never felt more helpless.

• • •

"I, King Adam, hereby call this emergency meeting of the Isle Council to order." King Beast declared, tapping his desk with a gavel, while irritated nobles filed into their seats and yawned behind their hands. It was the middle of the night, but there was no helping it, this was a serious emergency. The barrier was down.

Fairy Godmother had quickly been summoned to create a temporary replacement, but it wasn't the same as before given the rush job. It kept the villains from getting out, but magic and visitors could still go _in_ , and something had to be done for the long term.

"Give us the summary Adam." Ferdinand insisted, comfortable enough around the king to speak informally. They all felt informal tonight anyway.

"Approximately an hour ago, the barrier around the Isle of The Lost was disrupted by a technological means. Fairy Godmother has created a temporary barrier, but it doesn't stop the flow of magic into the Isle." Adam explained.

"How did this happen?" Phillip wondered aloud. "We made certain they don't have the same kind of technology we have here in Auradon. It's practically a third world country over there."

Elsa nearly froze over, because it _was_ a third world country, and _they'd_ made it that way. Her sister's hand on a frigid arm was the only thing that kept her in check. Anna didn't usually come to council meetings with her sister, because she and Kristoff managed things at home when Elsa was away. When they were awoken by a phone call in the middle of the night on a secure line to Auradon, Anna insisted on coming to help.

"You forget, King Phillip, that we've been sending them our trash and leftovers for years." Mulan noted. "It's quite possible that someone figured out how to use the spare parts they found from broken cell phones and old radios."

"I bet the parts were among the things your bleeding heart son sent to the Isle." King Charming said to Adam. When news broke that the Young Council Club had been sending supplies over, the operation was immediately shut down, and Ben was grounded indefinitely.

"Technology of any kind was not on the requisition list!" Belle retorted. "It was _food_ , and _medical supplies_!"

"My son has been thoroughly chastised for his involvement in the scheme." Adam added, and Belle resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She agreed to ground Ben, but not because he spearheaded a _relief effort_ to an impoverished area. She was merely disappointed that he'd gone behind their backs to do it, and gotten other students in trouble for it as well.

"I don't know about you, but I'm proud of Lanying's involvement in this operation." Shang noted with a smile. "She assisted in raising funds for a _heroic_ relief effort."

And as always, the word _hero_ shut up all dissent, because if the council didn't want to be anything, it was unheroic.

"Now that we all know the basics of our situation," Adam continued. "I'd like to hear any suggestions you may have concerning what we do about the Isle."

"Firstly, we have to remake the barrier." Aurora insisted, and she was accompanied by sounds of assent from many nobles.

"Well, here's the issue." Fairy Godmother explained. "The first barrier might have been too weak. It let little seeps of magic in through the cracks in areas where strong magic users lived."

"And you _allowed_ that!?" Prince Charming gasped in amazement and self righteous assurance.

"To do any less would be unethical!" Mrs. Fairweather exclaimed. "To completely isolate a creature with magic from the source of their very life force... It would drive them insane."

"As someone who hid my powers for my entire childhood, I can agree." Elsa murmured quietly from her seat. "If it wasn't for the help of my sister, I would have been driven mad from the stress."

"We already made loopholes in so many laws to put them there, Phillip." Fairy Godmother sighed sadly. "To do any more would be... Cruel and unusual."

"And it was never enough magic to cast any spells." Adam quickly explained. _As far as they knew._ "It just manifested itself in their odd hair and eyes colors."

"But this time, we have to do better." Ferdinand insisted. "After this breach, who knows how much magic will be released if we don't stop it?"

"What do you propose, Phillip? It's against the laws of Auradon to lock away someone's magic, especially if they never used it for evil." Belle sighed.

"At least convict Maleficent's spawn for her crimes against humanity!" Phillip insisted, banging his fists on the table. "She's proven she's a villain!"

"She hasn't used her magic in her killings!" Elsa shouted above the murmur, raising her voice in a way that scared some of them into watching her with caution.

"You all have no room to talk about crimes against humanity." Rapunzel added, looking pointedly at Snow White. "I have a stepsister on the Isle, and so do you, Snow. Do we really want to just condemn our own family based on who they're related to?"

"Not blood siblings." Cinderella retorted bitterly. She was kind, but a lot of her kindness had been beaten out of her by Lady Tremaine as a girl. She hated the way she was treated by her stepsisters, and while she occasionally thought about giving them a second chance, her husband and his family, and their children reminded her that she was better off without them.

"It will be unethical to take Mal Morgana's powers. You don't have magic. You don't understand." Elsa insisted, and Anna held her hand tightly, an anchoring force, against which she would not lose control.

"Let's put it to a vote." Adam finally announced, beginning to get a headache. "First matter of business: reinforcing the barrier to prevent the influx of any and all magic."

The royals picked up their electronic vote casting devices, and began selecting their answers, which were revealed on a screen in a matter of minutes.

Phillip of House Heathermore: Yea

Aurora of House Rosiers: Yea

Charles and Ella of House Charming: Yea

Ferdinand of House Forrester: Yea

Snow of House White: Yea

Ariel and Eric of House Andersen: Nay

Tiana and Naveen of House Bufeaux: Yay

Elsa of House Arrenheim: Nay

Kida and Milo of House Thatch: Nay

Mulan and Shang of House Li: Nay

Rapunzel and Eugene of House Fitzherbert: Nay

Peter of House Pan: Nay

Arthur of House Pendragon: Yea

Hercules and Megara of House Olympus: Nay

Alice of House Doyle: Abstained

"It seems like a tie..." Adam reluctantly admitted, and checked the list again. "In more detail, seven yeas, and seven nays. Does House Doyle wish to change their vote?"

He glanced over at Alice, who was also known as the White Queen of Wonderland. "No. My villain and her descendants, if she has any, don't have magic. I don't care either way about this matter."

"In that case, I suppose I'll have to break the tie using the votes of House Beast." Adam sighed. He usually remained neutral in matters like this, because he was the leader, the mediator. "You will have my answer by tomorrow afternoon."

• • •

When Mal finally came out of the magical coma, her three best friends were waiting for her.

"Welcome back to the land of the living, Mal." Evie exclaimed, so happy she was nearly crying. "I wasn't sure you'd pull through."

"What happened? Why was it so much worse for me?" Mal asked, and noticed the subtle changes in her inner circle. Evie was practically radiating magic in her aura. The Evil Queen was known for bewitching her way into her infamous marriage, and if it was possible, her daughter looked even more beautiful than before. Jay's hair had subtle auburn streaks now, and his eyes flashed gold like the golden tattoos on his wrists. Carlos looked a bit taller, a bit broader, and when Mal focused on him closely, she realized that his freckles created faint patterns of Nordic runes.

"We have no idea." Jay muttered. "Apparently I'm half genie or something."

"I don't know what I am." Carlos whispered, a bit shocked by all of this.

"You're the one I love, dude." Jay insisted, wrapping an arm around the smaller boy. "That hasn't changed and never will."

"Do I have wings?" Mal blurted, before she could stop herself, and Evie shook her head sadly. Mal had heard stories her entire life about how wings were a faerie's most prized possession, the strongest indicator of power and prestige. A fae without wings was nothing, according to her mother, whose proud and beautiful wings had been cut off as a young woman.

"Your mother's familiar has come back though." Evie noted, and Mal sat up, looking around.

"Diaval?" She exclaimed, and the raven trotted over to her, before transforming into a raven haired man with feathers on his joints and hairline.

"My Queen." He bowed, before asking a wary question. "Where is your mother?"

"My mother..." Mal whispered. "She stood in the way of my rule, so I killed her."

The man seemed to process that for a moment before shaking his head sadly.

"As is proper. I wish we could have been reunited, but my mistress was probably driven insane by the things she suffered at the hands of humans." Diaval sighed. "You are now the queen of the fae, twice over, and I will serve you as I served your mother."

At that moment, Jane came rushing into the room, her pretty blue wings fluttering behind her. As a seelie fae, they were shimmering and incandescent, the sort of wings people imagined when they thought of faeries. Mal's people had bird or bat wings, much more intimidating to humans.

"Mal, we have a problem!" Jane announced, out of breath. "Or, maybe _not_ a problem? I don't know!"

"Calm down Jane." Mal chided. "What's going on?"

"Faeries." The girl explained. "Clouds of fae so thick they block out the sun."

And when Mal stepped out onto the balcony (they'd done the experiment in the Bargain Castle instead of Dragon Hall), she saw what Jane meant. The mass migration of fae to the location of their Queen, attracted like a moth to flame, in an instinctual magic much deeper than blood.

"Are you ready to face them, and tell them what you told me?" Diaval asked, smirking at Mal, whom he loved, as he'd loved her mother.

"Of course, Diaval." Mal smugly grinned in return.

"Well then. Before they arrive, there's something I need to tell you." The familiar frowned, as if tasting something bitter. "Your mother abdicated the throne before you were born."

"She _what_!?" Mal screamed, and in an instant her knife was at the raven's throat. "Explain. Now!"

"Maleficent was a fairy godmother once." Diaval explained slowly. "She was a reluctant one, for sure, because she hated humans for taking her wings, and she especially hated this particular human, the descendant of the man who betrayed her."

Mal relaxed a bit and removed her knife. It was an impulse, honestly, born from years of fight or flight response in the slums.

"But people change. The girl named Briar Rose wormed her way into Maleficent's heart." Diaval explained, and Mal gasped, because _Briar Rose_ was _Aurora_ , the woman who _put her here_.

"She was betrayed twice by humans." Mal cursed, and her eyes flashed green, and everyone in the room could feel her magic, lashing out, ready to _kill_.

"It stopped the war!" Diaval exclaimed, shouting over the roar of magic. "Your mother's sacrifice ended the war between humans and fae in the Moorlands!"

"She gave her _throne_ to a _human_!" Mal screamed in reply, and her hair shimmered as it flew around her.

"Briar Rose was better than her parents! We thought she'd end the war for good!" Diaval retorted, and tears shimmered on his cheeks. "Maleficent couldn't have known she'd betray her."

"Humans always betrayed her." Mal hissed, finally letting her flames die down as the flow of magic eased back into her body. "Humans _always_ betrayed her."

"And so, what will you tell your followers, Mal?" Diaval asked, transforming back into a raven to settle atop her shoulder.

"I will tell them the truth. I killed my mother, and Aurora Rosiers' claim to _my_ throne is invalid."

The familiar cackled in agreement.


	21. Chapter 21

When the Auradonians looked at the magic map, during the emergency meeting, they saw people writhing in pain. Non-magical friends and relatives looked on as ragged peasants screamed their return of magic from dirty carpets and broken couches.

When they tried to use it afterwards, they saw only static.

As if someone quite magical had destroyed the enchantment from the Isle side.

Aurora went back home that night, after the council meeting, and as usual, she didn't speak to Phillip. He pointedly avoided her gaze. They went back to bed in different rooms.

But predictably, Aurora couldn't sleep. Her mind was racing with potential disasters and consequences, and so, she did what she always did when she couldn't sleep. She took a walk through the gardens.

The palace was well guarded, but faeries often slipped in. Technically they were pixies, the little ones like the tribe on Neverland, but Aurora didn't know about distinctions of fae tribes. All she knew was that ever since she was blessed and kissed awake by her fairy godmother, the pixies tended to flock around her when she was outdoors. It was why she always went outside alone.

It wouldn't do for the only child of King Stefan, who died fighting for humans, to be seen with her people's traditional enemies. But by this time in her life, Aurora had grown used to the titters and giggles that came from behind bushes as they watched her. It reminded her of home, the little cottage where she grew up, with the three faeries who raised her. The little laughs and whistled songs were comforting to her, and it was why Aurora always came to the gardens when she couldn't sleep.

It only took a few minutes for her to realize something was wrong, and then the creeping fear set in, pooling in her stomach like a lead weight, chilling her body in a way that was nothing like the chill of the night air.

The gardens were completely silent.

• • •

"Welcome to my humble island." Mal announced graciously, wearing her ceremonial officer's uniform with Evie at her right hand side. "I was forced here by Auradon, but we've made the best of what we have."

And then, she rose from her throne, her face became less welcoming and more steely.

"I killed my mother because she was weak, and driven mad by what humans had done to her." Mal explained, and her announcement was accompanied by raucous cheers before she held up a hand for silence.

"That said, I have many good friends who are human. I will _not_ condemn their species like they condemned ours. I won't stand for violence towards any of my court who are other than fae!" Mal looked sternly at each face assembled in the crowd, none of which she recognized. All of whom were her subjects.

"I have chosen them. They are my court. You will respect them as you respect me."

And then the assembly broke off, with a gesture from Mal, into happy laughter and chattering small talk, as the fae lined up in rows to greet Mal and pledge their loyalty to her reign. Quietly, Mal rested her head on Evie's shoulder for a moment. She was tired, and still very sore from her magical agony, and later her fiery rage. Mal was a good queen, but she was only seventeen. Barely seventeen. It was exhausting. Diaval sat behind her now, on the top of her throne in his bird form, and watched the approaching guests with careful yellow eyes.

"Merry met, my Queen." The supplicants said, one by one as they bowed before her, and Diaval murmured that this was a fae greeting, and Mal should repeat it with a gracious nod. She did so, steeling her expression into pleased regalia, but inside, she was half-asleep.

"Dizzy, come here." Evie murmured, and taking a notepad from her bag, wrote instructions for a potion of her own invention that would help Mal stay awake. "Brew this, and get it back to me as soon as possible."

The blue-haired queen petted her lover's hand, and smiled graciously at Mal's subjects, and steeled herself for the longest night.

When dawn finally broke, hours later, creeping over the horizon like the sun itself was sleepy, Mal was feeling ready to fall asleep on her feet. Her guests were directed to stay in the spare rooms of the Bargain Castle, while she and Evie fell into her mother's old bed. The other humans of her court had already left for Dragon Hall and Hell Hall, depending on which house they were in. The pirates had declined to come, which suited Mal just fine.

While the girls were sleeping, Jay and Carlos got to work. They'd slipped away half-way through the night while Mal was still greeting her subjects. The girl had noticed them go, and gave them a nod, because there was nothing they could do to help her. Thus, they had gotten some sleep, and were ready to get working.

"I wonder if I can grant wishes now?" Jay mused to himself, idly rubbing at the bands of gold that covered his skin like paint, while Carlos tinkered. "What would you wish for?"

And that gave the boy pause, as he thought about the future, and what he wanted, more than anything.

"I suppose I'd want Mal to be on the throne." Carlos replied slowly, making sure not to actually use the word 'wish', just in case. "I'd have to word it carefully though. If I just said to 'put Mal on the throne', it could send her anywhere, to any throne in the world, and she probably wouldn't even legally be queen. She'd just be a random person on a random throne."

"Oh, right." Jay noted, recalling his father's often told stories. "Even Aladdin, who wished to be a prince, had to keep up the act. No one had ever heard of the guy, and he acted like a commoner. It's how Jafar saw through his disguise."

"Exactly. Maybe I would phrase it as something simpler, like to have the Isle registered as an official province of Auradon, or to get everyone's houses fixed, so that no one has to live in shacks anymore, or in a house with no heat, or a leaky roof, etcetera." Carlos explained, and he was pulled away from his work, because if there was anything that boy loved (besides Jay), it was experimenting. He pulled out his schematics notepad, and flipped to a new page.

"What would you want?" Carlos asked his taller boyfriend with a grin.

"I already have everything I want." He laughed, scooping the white-haired boy into a kiss. When they broke apart, Carlos laughed too, and whacked Jay lightly with his notebook.

"Seriously? You're such a dork."

"What can I say?" Jay replied. "I'm a simple man."

"Seriously though, I just need an example. What would you wish for?" Carlos pressed, and Jay thought for a moment.

"A lot of food. I'd wish for good healthy food for everyone, with plenty to go around." The young man finally answered, sort of fantasizing about the heaps of food, visualizing a grand buffet.

"Okay dude, so let's write it out in the best way possible to avoid getting screwed over by Wish Logic." Carlos explained, and wrote out on the notepad: _I wish for ten thousand bags of flour, ten thousand cans of fruit, and ten thousand cans of vegetables to appear in our storeroom._

"You should specify the fruits and vegetables." Jay noted. "Otherwise, they might all be pears and green beans. I hate those."

"Right. Let me ask for Mandarin oranges. Citrus fruits have lots of vitamins and help the immune system." Carlos amended his sentence for Mandarin oranges and mixed vegetables.

"Also, didn't those kids from Auradon give us a bunch of flour?" Jay added, and Carlos nodded in agreement.

"Right. I forgot about that." The white-haired boy pursed his lips and rewrote the sentence.

"Okay. How's this? 'I wish for ten thousand cans of chicken, ten thousand cans of mixed vegetables, and ten thousand cans of Mandarin oranges to appear in the Dragon Hall storeroom." Carlos read aloud from the page, and Jay shuddered.

"Um, dude. You just read that aloud." The half-djinn murmured, still feeling the tingle of magic that ran through him. Realization dawned on Carlos, and he cursed.

"Goddamn it! Did that count?" He asked, bemoaning the loss of his wish.

"I think so. It _felt_ like it worked." Jay shuddered again. "Magic feels _weird_."

Suddenly, his cell phone rang, the one that connected him with Mal like a walkie-talkie from across the island.

"Mal?" He spoke into the receiver, and got a bit of a surprise.

"No. Antoine." The male Tremaine cousin spoke into the receiver, and chuckled. "Mal gave me her phone before she went to sleep, and told me to direct all problems to you. She said not to disturb her unless the island was burning down."

"Ah, how good to be trusted." Carlos sighed, knowing that even though Mal was so much better with people... She needed her rest.

"Anyway, a goblin is here, and he's telling me he was almost squished when thirty thousand cans of food dropped from the ceiling. I wasn't inclined to believe him, until I saw it for myself."

"Sorry, Tremaine. We we're performing an experiment, and we didn't think anyone was in the storeroom." Carlos apologized, and felt a bit sorry for the goblin.

"What the hell are you getting up to, DeVil?" The other teenager muttered aloud, and Carlos hung up on him.

"What was that about?" Jay asked, surprised at his boyfriend's rudeness.

"We can't let it get out that you can grant wishes, Jay. This power could be seriously bad in the wrong hands." Carlos explained. "I couldn't think of an excuse, so I just hung up."

"Right, I know what you mean. What if someone wishes for like, the ground to be made of lava or something?"

"Jay, who would wish for that?" Carlos laughed, confused.

"A five year old. What? You've never played that game?" Jay retorted, and Carlos went solemn.

"I was too busy doing chores or hiding from my mother as a child. Not much time for games." DeVil murmured, getting a glazed look in his eye, and knew he had to get Carlos to snap out of it.

"Let's play it now." Jay smirked, and started throwing pillows and blankets onto the floor.

"What? We aren't children anymore, Jay!" Carlos exclaimed as his boyfriend scooped him up in both arms and jumped from pillow to pillow, avoiding the floor, as if it was made of lava.

"Who says? Let's play!" The taller teenager exclaimed dropping Carlos on a pillow and poking him. "Tag, you're it!"

Laughing, Carlos shouted something competitive, and off they went, chasing each other around the room, never touching the floor as they laughed and joked around. Meanwhile, from the workstation, Dan (the goblin whose name could not be pronounced by human tongue) watched with a faint smile. He was growing rather attached to Carlos, and it was good to see him having fun, and acting his age. Dan went back to work on the young man's latest invention.

• • •

The reader might recall Hildegard and Juan DeVil, two of the children who were rescued on the day of reckoning, when Mal killed the sinners and purged the Isle of wrongdoing. Hildy was taken in by Evie, who loved her very much like her own child, and who was teaching her how to be a witch. For a long time, Hildegard didn't believe she was really magic, because she'd been raised behind the barrier. Her mama (her _real_ mama, and not Evie, who she secretly thought of as mama), told her that she would never be able to do magic as long as she lived on the Isle.

But last night, things changed. Hildy felt the first stirrings of magic, within her very bones. It was was like discovering you were a long lost princess all along. The stories her mama told her were true! At breakfast, she used a magic spell to reheat her lukewarm oatmeal. Afterwards, she walked across the Isle, to her favorite rosebush behind the greenhouse, and made the roses bloom, even though they weren't in season. She enchanted Juan's ukelele to play by itself, and she invited Dizzy and some of the older kids to dance with them (for Juan wanted to be a musician like his older brother Diego, but wasn't good enough to not be obnoxious yet).

The visitors came then, a whole detatchment of pixies, who played little flutes and drums, and harps together. They all danced in the graveyard among the tombstones, because Mal had declared today a day off, and there wasn't anything better to do than dance.

When Mal and Evie got back, in late afternoon, having slept the day away, they were greeted with spiked punch and a bonfire, with laughter and music, and kids getting too flirtatious. After what they'd been through last night, with the ceremony and graceful smiles and dresses and pomp, it was refreshing. It was a real _Isle_ welcome.

Mal was encouraged. She remembered, for the first time in several days (since Jane arrived), that she wasn't doing this for her people (the fae whom she only met a few hours ago), or her throne (the tainted throne her mother had groomed her for until the day she died).

Mal was doing it for _them_. For these ragged children and young adults, who had to deal with keeping themselves and their families alive. For the hordes of rescued little ones who Evie coddled in a way that was not quite villainous. For her island, her _wife_ , the law and order she built with _the four of them_ from the ground up.

For Hildegard, who took her first day using magic, and made _music,_ for her friends to dance.

God help Auradon, who had taken all this away from them. There were no damsels on the Isle of The Lost. There were only girls who'd never forget a grudge, and who'd never back down from a fight.

And Mal was gearing up for one hell of a fight.

• • •

That very same moment, King Adam was hunched over a desk, sweating bullets, and feeling like his hair was going to gray from the stress of it all. _Why hadn't that damned Alice changed her vote!?_

Now, he was going to have to choose a side. The court was divided on this, and no matter what Adam chose, people would get hurt. Taking into consideration both sides' arguments, Adam honestly wasn't sure what to do. Ethically, as his wife had so _frustratingly_ pointed out, he would be upset if his becoming a beast had lost him his throne. Could he take away someone's birthright because of their _parents_ ' crimes? But then again, if he _didn't_ reinforce the barrier, they might use magic to overcome it, and unleash their evil back into Auradon, his nation (and his family, Ben and his darling Belle! What would happen to them?)

When he thought about it that way, Adam had only one choice. So he summoned his two most trusted servants.

"Lumiere, please get Fairy Godmother on the phone." Adam commanded his major domo, who went to make sure it was done.

"Cogsworth, please call the High Council members. Let them know that I vote yea."

Adam continued, and Cogsworth puttered away.

"Indeed sire, it shall be done! I'll tell everyone you plan to reinforce the barrier!" The former clock hemmed and hawed on his way out, chattering away as usual. It didn't help alleviate Adam's fears.

He wasn't a very spiritual man, though he went to Mass on Sundays and Holy days. King Beast put no stock into premonitions and psychic powers. Only witches and sorcerers dabbled in things like that, and there was a reason magic was outlawed in Auradon.

And yet, despite how much he refused to believe in premonitions, King Adam felt sick to his stomach, and he had a sudden, unexplainable thought: _This could be the end of everything._

As soon as it crossed his mind, it was gone. He was reinforcing the barrier, so why worry about silly _feelings,_ when he was dealing with the real threat, and neutralizing it?

Premonitions were for witches and sorcerers. And magic was outlawed for a reason (because Adam was _afraid_ of it.)


	22. Chapter 22

"Adam, I cannot in good conscience, do what you want me to." The Fairy Godmother murmured, angry and afraid.

"You will, Fairweather. You _must_." King Beast insisted.

"To take their magic, would be like taking their air! Or water!" FG insisted, and she didn't know that the children of the Isle already had to boil their water before they drank it.

"Air and water aren't the same as powerful weapons, Fairweather." Adam retorted.

"Weapons they never used against us!"

"Their parents did." Came the King's retort.

"Half those parents are _dead_ now." FG insisted fervently. "If they were so hated by their children to be killed as soon as they came of age, why would they have been taught magic?"

"It's s chance we can't take, Fairy Godmother." Adam insisted, in a tone that said he was done arguing. "If you don't do this, I'll have you charged for treason."

"Treason!? For not condoning your crimes against humanity?" FG exclaimed, bitterly.

"Section Eight, subsection B of the Magic Accords, Fairweather." Adam insisted, quoting the document. "'Any faerie, witch, wizard, or other magician who refuses to use their magic in the benefit of the state, is subject to prosecution under the the full extent of the law.'"

"You _wouldn't_!" Fairweather hissed, and against her will, her wings phased out of their binds. Her hair trasnformed back to it's slate grey, and her eyes glowed blue.

"Subsection C reads that," Adam continued, unphased. "'Any magician who refuses a direct request from the King during times of war can be found immediately guilty of treason, and said magic will be taken away for the duration of the war."

"We aren't at war though! There have been no shots fired!" FG shouted, desperate now, and she hovered off the ground. Adam was terrified of her, but he steeled his resolve, and acted like he was in control.

"They destroyed our barrier, Fairweather, deliberately and heinously. We still don't know why. You _know_ the courts are on my side, and I swear to you, Godmother. If you don't reinforce that barrier, I will _see to it_ that you never cast another spell _again_!"

And at that, the woman deflated. She could not argue with him if it meant taking away her magic. If she let him, he'd say that it must not be as important as she was making it out to be. If she refused, he'd find someone else to do his dirty work. There was no way to win.

And it was then that an idea came to her. A deliciously wicked and utterly _villainous_ idea. She would just lie. She'd say she was reinforcing the barrier, and just... Not. She'd already lied to Aurora, told her that she 'simply had no _idea_ where the faeries went!' when the woman called her up in tears last night. It served the damned woman right, for treating an entire race of sentient beings like trinkets to comfort her after she willingly participated in their genocide.

Yes, Mrs. Fairweather could do just that, and no one was magically inclined enough to tell the difference! If they found out, they'd drag her through the mud for sure, possibly throw her on the island for her betrayal, so she had to be careful, to play her cards right and make sure it was hard to tell. She'd weave little exceptions and charms into the barrier, and trust that Mal would keep the magic low-key enough to go unnoticed, until she was certain Auradon would have no choice but to acknowledge her.

Jane had run to the Isle to be free. Mal had welcomed her with open arms, despite how very _Auradon_ she was. Surely that girl was smart enough to know the gift she was being given.

"Alright, Adam. I don't agree with your decision, but I have no choice." Fairy Godmother sighed, and she morphed herself back into her more human appearance.

And Fairweather was _seelie_ , a _good_ fairy, she wasn't built for lying! She was certain the king would see through her ruse. But he didn't.

He was a stubborn fool to the very end.

• • •

When Elsa got the call that informed her of King Adam's final decision, she sighed deeply, and sank down into the cushion of her sofa. She was expecting this to happen, but she hadn't wanted to think about what she'd do, when the law went into place.

"Oh no. Did the King vote to increase the strength of the barrier?" Anna asked with concern, approaching her sister soothingly before she started to frost over the loveseat. Anna didn't personally know about magic (despite the piece of her sister's essense that was currently lodged, tingling in her heart, and visible in her hair), but she did know about her sister. And when Elsa was put on house arrest, forbidden to accept her magic as a part of herself, she went nearly mad with despair.

It was important to accept who you are.

That, Anna knew for a fact. She knew it was true, deep in her heart, like she knew Elsa was always there for her, and that their love could conquer anything.

"Let's call our cousin, Elsa. Rapunzel and Eugene voted against the proposal, right? Before we leave for Arendelle, let's invite them over for tea." Anna suggested. They couldn't change what was already done, but they _could_ prepare their next move (which Elsa was always trying to make her consider, these days. Anna sometimes missed the time when they could be carefree children, and the kingdom somehow ran itself).

"Right, right. I've been meaning to get a hold of them." Elsa conceded, taking a deep breath to stave off the ice. "Now's a good a time as any."

The call was made on the phone in their rented suite in the capital city. Rapunzel and her entourage were staying in a building not a block away, a short ride by car. Elsa was good at diplomacy and war, and Anna was good at hospitality and organization. Even though the second-born was never meant to be Queen, the two sisters had settled into an efficient pattern in the years since Elsa's coronation.

When Rapunzel arrived, it was with her husband, and a dark haired woman in Corona armor, with a short sword at her side.

"Hello, cousin!" The blond grinned widely, and wrapped Anna in a hug. They'd only met a few times, but Rapunzel was a hugger. When there was hugging to be had, she hugged. Stepping back, she introduced her companions.

"This is my husband, Eugene, and my body guard, Cassandra." She indicated first the rougueish young man on her right side, and then the beauty on her left. "Not that I distrust your security or anything! But Cass is my advisor first, and my bodyguard second. Anything you say to me or Eugene can be said to her."

"And she'd probably just hear it later, anyway." Eugene quipped in a deadpan.

"Come in, please!" Anna invited them inside, where Elsa waited with hot tea and pastries. Pleasantries were exchanged, somewhat awkwardly. It was the first offical meeting of two young rulers who were still getting the hang of the trappings of office.

"So, I assume you got the news about King Adam's vote?" Rapunzel asked tentatively, and her host nodded.

"Yes. Anna actually suggested we call you because you spoke up against it in the meeting." Elsa explained, sipping her tea in the carefully measured way her mother taught her - she musn't lose focus, or her hot tea would become lukewarm, and then cold in her fingers.

"What I said was the truth. I have something of a stepsister on the Isle, raised by the woman who raised _me_ , for most of my life. For all I know, she might have magic like I do." Rapunzel explained. "How can I deny her that magic? And even if she doesn't, what about all the children who do?"

"I sometimes wish the King and Queen had abstained from sending their criminals to the Isle, like her highness Elsa has." Cass noted wryly as she sipped her tea (she was a bodyguard, but she'd been _raised_ as a lady-in-waiting).

"Why is that?" Anna asked in reply. She'd never felt threatened by Hans, who ended up on the Isle anyway, but sent by his family in the Southern Isles. Because that region was under Arendelle's control as a vassal state, it was the reason Elsa was afforded a position on the Isle council, even though she didn't _technically_ send her villain away.

"It gives King Adam leverage over Corona." Rapunzel explained. "As long as our villain is housed in their prison colony, we have a say in how the Isle is run. But my parents didn't know that there were children being born there, and that Adam has no plan in place for them. But now, we have no way to back out."

"We have to contribute to the Isle tax, because our villain and criminals still reside on the Isle. There's no way out of it without causing serious outrage." Eugene explained further.

"What if you pulled out of the United Kingdoms, but continued paying the Isle tax? Arendelle would back you in that endeavor." Elsa mused, realizing with a start that she'd lost her focus, and her tea was now chilled to the touch. Anna noticed and quietly poured some more hot tea, so it wouldn't be so noticable. They communicated thanks and kind regards with their eyes.

"That might be a possibility. I'm not in control of those decisions yet, though. My parents would have to make the final call." Rapunzel shyly noted, remembering that Elsa, who was nearly her age, was already running a large kingdom of her own.

"Given how politically close our two kingdoms are, I could probably make the first move, and inspire the King and Queen to do the same." Elsa replied, and chewed a scone thoughtfully, imagining the repercussions of that action. It was a move to be weighed under careful consideration, and not to be taken lightly.

To break free of Auradon was to lose exclusive trading rights within the Southern territories. Even the Southern Isles, which were under Elsa's jurisdiction were rocky, and not well suited to growing crops. The whole reason they joined Auradon (besides the ample military agreements and promise of peace beyond treaties and borders) was because of the ridiculous taxes that weren't so heavily imposed on members of the the union. In order to import food without paying the insane "outsider tax" was a major advantage.

Not to mention, Auradon was a nation at leisure, in a southern/temperate climate. They were Arendelle's chief clients for ice, the country's fastest growing export. Was there a way to get the benefits of being allies with Auradon, without having to submit to their treatment of prisoners and crimes against magical humans?

It was a question that needed a lot of consideration.

• • •

"Oh, something's changing. I feel my mother's magic." Jane murmured, perking up in the middle of her lessons. She and Mal had been learning about their cultural heritage from Diaval as they sat in one of the abandoned classrooms.

"I expected those Auradonians to be restoring the barrier soon." Mal muttered bitterly.

"No, it's not quite that." Jane replied, looking off into the distance and pursing her lips. "It feels heavy, but breathable at the same time, as if someone covered us with a gauze mesh."

"I can feel it too." Diaval muttered, feathers fluttering as he sensed the magic in the air. "We aren't cut off from magic."

"What does this mean?" Mal asked, sensing the magic, but not bathing in it, _breathing_ it, as the other two were.

"It means mom restored the barrier, but in a different form. I can't tell if she did it on purpose or not." Jane mused.

"We should keep our magic low-key all the same." Mal replied. "To further take King Beast by surprise when we finally make our move."

"Mm, your strategic abilities grow stronger by the day, Mal." Diaval praised, and Mal got the sense that he was half-proud of her acheivements, and half-proud because she was her mother's daughter, and the ghost of Maleficent still shone in everything she did.

"I sent Ben on a new assignment. Call it a campaign, if you will." Mal explained, turning to Jane with a hand under her chin. "He's going to try and get the 'sidekicks' on our side. Apparently, they aren't treated so well in Auradon."

"Oh, yes. I know what you're talking about." Jane nodded vigorously. "The talking animals, and dwarves and whatnot are starting to cause a ruckus about their rights."

"We can use that to our advantage." Mal confirmed with a smirk. "The disenfranchised are always eager to rally behind a monarch who promises better treatment."

"Is that paraphrased from The Prince?" Jane quipped, and Mal nodded smugly.

"As much as I appreciate the use of literature, this is a history class. Let's continue with the story of the exodus from Tir Na Nog." Diaval interrupted, sounding more like a chirping crow in that moment than ever before. Jane and Mal settled back into student-mode, and while one took notes in her blue memo book, the other made footnotes and side notes in her mother's handwritten family history book.

Meanwhile, Evie was busy doing all the things that kept the Isle running, so Mal wouldn't have to. She'd met with the pirates, and issued orders for the next few weeks. She'd supervised the division of labor among new workers, and she'd spoken with Carlos and Jay about the fact that they had accidentally filled the storehouse with over a hundred pounds of food. Between the two of them, Evie and Carlos devised a plan to take photos of the run-down conditions of housing on the Isle before they fixed all the problems. Then, they could have proof in the future that yes, things had once been that bad.

Evie had been about to start taking pictures, when someone knocked on the door of her clinic.

"Um, Evie? Can I come in?" A voice asked from the doorway, as Hildegard peered in from the hallway.

"Of course, Hildy. What's on your mind?" Evie asked kindly, picking the little girl up, and balancing her on a hip.

"Can I stay with you today? I'm scared." The little girl whimpered, and nuzzled into blue hair. Her own golden hair was starting to look like real rose gold at the roots, just like Evie's hair had started turning blue around the same age.

"Scared of what, sweetie?" Evie asked, as she slipped on the lanyard of her Polaroid camera, and left her office in Dizzy's capable hands.

"I'm scared my magic will go away again." The girl sniffed, afraid to cry as all Isle children were afraid to cry. Scared that she would beaten for losing her composure, as she'd been with her aunt, once her mama died.

"Don't be scared, Hildegard. If the barrier goes back up, it won't be forever. Mal and I would never let that happen to you." Evie comforted, but she didn't think it was working. No matter how much kindness she showed, a lot of these kids believed she had an ulterior motive.

"Not just for you, Hildy, but for us too. We will never go back to being without magic. _Never_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A note about cultures: I've taken a lot of liberties with Auradon nations, largely based on the regions from which their fairytales come.
> 
> Germania: Snow White's Homeland, based on the Black Forest region in Germany, where the tale originated. I've actually been to that region, and although many fairy tales originate there, the art of Snow White in particular is the most reminiscent of that area. Evie and the Evil Queen believe that witchcraft originated here, and the Germanic/Norse myths have been passed down in their family.
> 
> Arendelle: Based on Norway, and loosely mingled with the mythology and culture of imperial Russia. The writer of the Snow Queen, Hans Christian Anderson, is from Denmark, but Arendelle as portrayed in the movie is more reminiscent of Norway.
> 
> The Moorlands: Based on Ireland and Wales. Fae culture is largely influenced by Celtic Faerie lore and A Midsummer Night's Dream. Originally, this country was divided between North Moors and South Moors, and the marriage of Phillip and Aurora solidified them into one nation, despite North's disdain for the smaller Southern half.
> 
> Auradon: An amalgamation of England and France. France is where Beauty and the Beast was popularized, but Auradon as portrayed in the film gives me the feel of modern day England. Normandy is a region in Auradon which might be considered more French, and is based on Paris. Notre Dame is located there. Another region in Auradon, known as Brittany, is based more on England. Tarzan and Jane live there, and that's the region from which Penny (of The Rescuer's Fame) hails.
> 
> Maldonia: Based on Cote de Ivoire, or the Ivory Coast. This is a small African nation that speaks of French colonialism (perhaps one of Adam's ancestors?), since Naveen speaks French, but comes from a dark skinned family. For many years, that lovely country was considered the safest region in Africa, and is approximately half Muslim and half Christian, with a small minority of traditional indiginous practitioners.
> 
> Oceania: Ariel and Eric's kingdom, based on Denmark, where Hans Christian Anderson lived.
> 
> Corona: Based on the architecture and atmosphere of the little we see in Tangled, (especially the wall frescoes and sun-in-glory motifs) I've based it on Renaissance Italy.
> 
> China: Mulan's kingdom. Instead of going through a violent communist revolution, this China had an Emperor who abdicated his throne to a miliatry commander to appease his people. Under Shang and Mulan's rule, this kingdom is slowly getting it's feet back under itself, and rebuilding the economy with sweeping reforms in poverty and misogyny. It's a lot like modern day China, but without the political unrest, censorship and dictatorship that comes along with it.
> 
> Charmington: Based on England. It neighbors the Moorlands and Auradon. Roger and Anita live here.
> 
> Agrabah: Based on the Ottoman Empire and Saudi Arabia. A bit more explicitly Muslim than the Agrabah of the movies.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: In the books, it's canonical that the dwarves have no vacation days and sidekicks as a whole are treated as second class citizens. Ben inherits these problems as soon as he begins kingly duties in Return To The Isle Of The Lost. Apparently, even in canon, Adam never had a problem shouldering his son with the things he didn't want to deal with.

Ben looked out the window of the royal automobile as they flew through the countryside. Part of being a prince meant that the young Beast had many opportunities to engage in diplomacy. It was not only allowed, but encouraged, not least because Ben was starting to believe that his father despaired of having to deal with strikes and civil unrest. It was easier to send his seventeen year old off to deal with the dwarves, who were once again causing trouble.

Even though it wasn't _trouble_ , not really. It wasn't a riot or rebellion, it was a strike - a peaceful protest on the grounds of equal and fair treatment from the rulers of Auradon.

Ben had brought Doug with him for backup, because he didnt understand Dwarf culture, and he was afraid of another incident like the one with the goblins on the Isle. For all his maturity and poise, Ben was still a teenage boy. He made stupid mistakes sometimes, but because of his position, his mistakes were blown up onto an international scale. Princes couldn't afford to make mistakes, just like Queens couldn't, and in that way, he and Mal were the same.

It may surprise the reader to know that not all the lands of Earth were under the reign of Auradon. Atlantia, where the merfolk lived, was not a part of the United banner. Avalor, a Spanish speaking country in the South wasn't a part of Auradon either, nor was their neighboring country Kuzcopia (even though they'd sent their villains to the Isle, and paid the fee for doing it.) Sherwood Forest was allies with Camelot Heights, but they weren't official members of the union, not least because Auradon tended to view sentient animals and non-human creatures as second class citizens.

However, it probably _won't_ surprise the reader to know that for all the political entrapments, and all the diplomatic endeavors, Auradon's greatest threats still came from within, from their own inherently flawed system. As long as things remained the same, Auradon would always be it's own worst enemy, and these were the thoughts that plagued Ben as he and Doug went off to defuse their first diplomatic incident.

"Okay, Doc. Last time I was here, I promised you a meeting. Now, I'm making good on that promise." Ben said politely, approaching Doc, who was sitting patiently on the ground in front of the mine with other dwarves.

"Ack! What took you so long, boy? I started to think you'd just lied to us to get the work started again!" The head dwarf mused bitterly.

"Things came up, Doc. We've had multiple crises since then." Ben explained, because it was true. He'd met multiple times with the Dragon Court, held that fundraiser for the supplies, had to deal with Jane leaving and the barrier coming down, and his terrible mistake with the goblins.

"D'ya ever think that your constant disasters are symptomatic of an underlying problem? Doc smirked, and the boy scratched his head.

"Um, pardon?"

"Do you ever think that maybe, just maybe, Auradon has a disaster a minute, because of holes in the laws, infrastructure, and culture?" The dwarf explained, slowing down his words and speaking as if Ben was a child, and he was just _kicking_ himself for not getting it, because he never _understood_ until it was too late.

"We dwarves work for all our lives, prince. We don't have any way to retire, we simply work and work until we get sick, or injured, and _can't_ work anymore." Doc explained as his voice dripped with pent-up anger. "No one listens to us, no one appreciates our work. We mine your damn jewels for freakin' peanuts, Prince."

"Okay, so ideally, what would be the best compensation?" Ben asked, if only to get a starting point to work from.

"We get paid double for the jewels, triple for the ores, and vacation days, sick leave, and retirement packages." Doc set out the clear cut orders, and Ben cringed. He wanted to do the right thing, but getting his nobles to agree to that would be like pulling teeth. They _never_ paid more for what they got, with the exception of _maybe_ Maldonia and China, but they probably didn't even know the situation the Dwarves were in right now, and they'd likely end up outnumbered and outvoted in the courts.

The last court meeting had been brought to a tie, and Adam was forced to break the vote for one side or the other. Aside from Aladdin (who couldn't vote last time because he and his wife were too far away from the capital to fly over in the middle of the night), the only one who hadn't voted was Alice, White Queen of Wonderland. Agrabah would probably abstain next time, if they voted on higher pay for the Dwarves, because Agrabah mined their own gems anyway.

"Okay, listen. I promise I'll see what I can do. Any way to get production moving again until I get back?" Ben asked, and was answered with a lot of disgruntled sounds, and a resounding 'no!'

"You won't lie to us, just to get us back to work Ben. We won't sell another gem until you meet our demands!"

The prince sighed, sensing (accurately), that this would be a long day.

• • •

"Are you ready Mal? We don't know how long the barrier is gonna stay like this." Jay murmured soflty, and Evie nodded, going over the written request again and again with her eyes.

"It's foolproof, Mal. This is going to work." The blue princess smiled comfortingly, even though they were all nervous and afraid. Mal thought this couldn't get any more tense, and she wanted to throw up already instead of dragging it on indefinitely.

"I wish..." She began, taking a deep breath and directing her next words to Jay. "I wish that the Isle of The Lost, disguised as Avalon, is accepted legally, into the United Kingdoms of Auradon."

"It's done." Jay noted. He felt the magic leave his body, and go off to some unknown destination, off to work his will upon the magic of the world.

"So that's one wish down for me and Carlos." Mal noted. "Evie still has all three of hers."

"Assuming I can even grant three." Jay mumbled.

"If we play our cards right, we won't have to use another wish to accomplish our goals. We can do it the same way we always do." Carlos explained.

"With cunning." Mal smirked.

"And manipulation." Evie added, batting her eyelashes.

"Don't forget our penchant for being evil masterminds." Carlos grinned.

• • •

Now, many of the rulers of Auradon were relatively ignorant of their own history. The most glaring example was Aurora Rosiers, who preferred to dance barefoot in the gardens as she had all her childhood, as opposed to sitting down with a dry book.

Belle was pleased to think of herself as the exception to that rule. Even though much of her influence these days was down to hosting parties or attending non-controversial charities, she still enjoyed doing research in the family library that Adam had added to lavishly, in every year since their marriage.

Currently, she was researching old legends and noting inconsistencies in the commonly accepted history books. She'd gotten the idea from her son's newest proposal - the addition of a nation called Avalon to Auradon's borders. Avalon was an island in King Arthur's story, which was commonly held to be myth. It was less commonly known that the King Arthur who currently ruled over Camelot Heights, was _not_ the same Arthur from the legend, and was, in fact, a totally unrelated person. His story of finding the sword in the stone, was vastly different from what Belle considered to be the _real_ Arthurian myth: a tale dating back to pre-christian times, and much more laced with magic and fate, and closely interwoven with the myths of the Fae.

Avalon was the misty home of Morrigan, the mother of Morgan LeFay. It shared quite a few common traits with Tir Na Nog, the ancestral home of the Fae, which was lost to time after the diaspora. It was never described in lore, and many people had believed it to be nothing more than a fairy tale. But if furniture and teapots could talk, wouldn't it be splendid if a mythological fairy island arose from the sea? Belle wanted to pressure her husband to accept, merely for the pleasure of finding out, if not that Avalon was the same land as in the myths, then who decided to name their land after a little-known corner of antiquity.

(And Belle would be surprised, many years later, when Mal insisted she had chosen the name, not out of a book, or story, or because she was _Morgana_ , but because it just 'came to her' - oh, Belle would laugh mirthlessly at the irony of _that_.)

Ben had grown up with the story of Arthur, along with many other tales, of course. Belle read them to him before bed as a child, and later, he read them on his own. He'd grown up on the values of Auradon, and stories of magic, royalty, bravery, and love.

_Once upon a time, there was a king._

_He didn't know he was a king at first, because he was dressed in rags and treated like a servant, but he still carried himself with all the grace and regal bearing that befitted a young man of his noble birth._

_Many years later, before the king came to power, struggling and fighting every step of the way, he was joined by three powerful friends. They were a witch, a wizard, and a knight, and they all loved the king, adored the king, and would die for him._

The story of Arthur, Merlin, Morgan LeFay and Lancelot, was one of Ben's favorites, until he grew up, and found himself suddenly too old for fairy tales, more interested in Tourney and girls. Sometimes, Belle wished that magic was no longer outlawed in Auradon, so that Ben would learn to believe again.

So Belle wrote letters, one of the things she was best at. She wrote to Aurora, and Snow, and Cinderella, and Elsa. That last queen wasn't a particular friend of hers, but she loved magic, and so Belle thought (hoped, prayed) she would help. She sent letters to Rapunzel, to Jasmine, to Mulan, and to Ariel, all beseeching them to join her petition for Avalon to become a legal state. She was the queen, and people trusted her (even though they'd never heard of Avalon, even though it came from nowhere, like Prince Ali, the paper-thin disguise of Aladdin).

Like the love spell, no one ever suspected they were being duped. The arrival of a new ally was good news, hope in troubled times. In these days when the barrier went down for a whole twenty-four hours, and even now, the magic map refused to show the Isle, everyone wanted something to hope for, and Belle wanted to bring them that hope.

• • •

One night, long ago, back when Mal was still fifteen, and taking over the isle was just a plan in the back of her mind, the four of them sat on a rooftop that looked right across the Isle of The Lost. They could see the faint lights of Auradon glowing in the distance, through the smog and smoke, and grime of the barrier.

"I want to go there." Evie whispered, and Mal didn't bother jabbing that _of course_ Evie wanted to go. She was so fragile and kind, too kind for the Isle. She was always meant to be a princess.

"We'll make it one day." Jay replied, leaning against Carlos, who looked at the stars instead of Auradon. They were passing a bottle of cheap wine between them.

"And when we get there, we're going to burn it to the fucking ground." Mal hissed, before she took a drink, and kissed Evie so deeply they couldn't breathe, and the magic wrapped around them, arched between them, itching and crawling beneath their skin, and **_screaming_** to be free.

"I'm going to slaughter their king, and give you his crown, Evie." Mal explained, and she was so buzzed now that it loosened her lips, and made her want to scream her love from the rooftop, even though this was the Isle, and love was a weakness, and no one ever, _ever_ said those three little words.

"I wanna show you my home, Carlos." Jay grinned. "I've never been, but I still wanna show you Agrabah. We'll see it together."

And before he could reply, Jay had captured his lips in a searing kiss, sharing the taste of the wine between them. When they pulled away, Carlos fell back against the roof and sighed.

"We can eat nothing but sweets. And not the gross, stale kind we get here. We'll have chocolate pudding, and flan, and creme brulee, and a thousand other things I've only ever seen on stained restaurant menus." DeVil said, in a dreamy voice.

"Running water." Evie added.

"Food that isn't rotten." Jay huffed.

"Electricity that doesn't go to shit at the first strong wind." Carlos went on, and they bantered like that for hours, dreaming of all the things they wanted, and all the things they'd been denied, because of their fucking _parents_ , and those _goddamn Auradon_ _ **bastards**_ , who'd condemned them for a crime they never committed.

And Mal didn't remember that moment until years later, after she'd made her first wish. She would go to Auradon as a diplomat, with Ben wrapped around her little finger, and no one legally able to stop her. She'd see who could be trusted, who redeemed themselves, and who deserved to die for what they'd done.

She'd keep her promise to Evie, soon now. Very soon. Mal was going to _**burn**_ _it to the_ _ **ground**_ _._

**• End Part Two •**


	24. Interlude IV

Harriet Hatter always walked along the coast of Auradon, she loved the quiet whisper of the waves as high tide came in, even though she didn't understand it. Her father was the Mad Hatter of Wonderland fame, and he helped Alice overthrow the Queen of Hearts. For that act of treason, he was given 'hero status', and revered as one of the good guys. In reality (and this, Harriet knew), he only really wanted to get out of a debt he had with the Queen, and deposing her was the easiest solution.

She lived in Auradon, but she didn't have many friends. Her daddy was a hero, and she was his princess, but they were both villains on the inside, where it counted.

So Harriet didn't have friends, and she wandered the beach alone, picking up seashells and building sandcastles for imaginary people to inhabit. She was twelve when she found the first message in a bottle.

_To whom it may concern,_

_My father hates me. I don't know why. I try to be the very best daughter I can be, but it seems I am never good enough. I love my little brother, but I get so jealous when he always receives praise from my father, and I always get scorn._

_Someone save me, Harriet H._

And wasn't that just a coincidence! Another Harriet H, like her, and one who seemed just as lonely and confused. Hatter took out paper and pen (she always had paper and pen), and wrote a reply, sealing it back inside the bottle, and throwing it back out, as far as she could.

_To Harriet H,_

_My father loves me, but I am terribly lonely, and I have no friends at school. I wish someone would save you, and me too. I wish we could trade places for a while. Then you could have a father who loved you, and I could have a little brother to play with. I am also a Harriet H. I bet, if we switched places, no one would even notice._

_A friend, Harriet_

The next letter came a few weeks later, bobbing along in the surf, in the same scuffed bottle, with a cork in the top.

_Harriet H,_

_I don't want any friends. Everyone says friends make you weak. Even so, I am terribly lonely, and allies (not friends!) Would be very apprishiated. Do you have any hobbies? I like practicing with my sword, and learning about pirates._

_Awaiting reply, Harriet_

By now, Harriet Hatter was seriously enjoying the relationship with her new friend. It was like they were pen pals!

_Harriet H,_

_I know how you feel about friends, papa has said the same thing to me before. But what about pen pals? I would very much enjoy getting to write to you. I will be your ally, if that's what you want._

_(By the way, it is spelled: appreciated)_

_I like to collect hats. My papa is a hat maker, and I really love the crazy ones that stand out from normal hats. I also write stories._

_Your ally, Harriet_

It continued on like that, for several years. Sometimes letters were lost to the waves, and had to be rewritten. The girls shared their hopes and dreams the same way they shared their names. Hook talked about standing up for her brother, and later, she shared how another sister came along. Hatter talked about how classmates played mean tricks on her in school, and Hook gave advice for deliciously wicked revenge.

When they got older, it became exceedingly clear to Harriet (Hook, not Hatter), that her childhood friend lived in Auradon. As for the other Harriet, she never suspected, being misled like most Auradon children that the Isle of The Lost housed only criminals. Harriet Hook liked pirates, but she wasn't a hardened criminal! She was just a little girl, Harriet Hatter thought, and she began work on a fabulous Captain's hat, with a huge ostrich feather plume and rich red velvet.

"When we meet in real life some day, one of us will have to change our name. It could get confusing." Harriet Hook's letter read, once.

"My middle name is Madeline. I always like it a lot, so that could be your nickname for me." Harriet Hatter replied, and from that moment forth, the pirate saw her Auradon ally as Madeline.

Madeline Hatter. Madeline Hatter. Mad Hatter.

Harriet figured out, when she put it together, that her friend was the daughter of the Mad Hatter. That was alright, because she liked to hang around Cora and Hart sometimes, the twins who belonged to the Queen of Hearts. Apparently, the story went that the hatter wasn't a hero. He was just mad, and deposed the queen to be rid of a debt against her. Very villainous. Harriet _liked_ it.

They got closer and closer as the years went on. Harriet talked about Clara Jane, her sister, and how she wanted to go by C.J. now, and join Harriet's crew. Madeline talked about how she didn't like boys, and her papa never married, but raised her with the help of the March Hare. They talked about what they wanted to do when they grew up.

Harriet wanted to sail the open seas with her crew ( _wasn't that wishful thinking?_ Maddie thought, _there are no pirates anymore_ ). Hatter wanted to open up a hat shop, where she would design the best hats for everyone who wanted them, so no one need be burdened down by fashion or propriety, and they could wear the brightest, loudest, most hideous hats they wanted.

And Harriet's hat improved every year, but it was never hideous. It grew only more beautiful for Madeline's love.

She never made friends at Auradon Prep, even in highschool, and on the year that Avalon became an official province, she had been graduated for a full six months already. Harriet's letter informed that she was from the new nation, and hoped that their fresh alliance would help her island grow.

The hatter continued work on the hat, as she would, until the very day that Harriet arrived. Madeline couldn't _wait_.

• • •

Shan Mei was the pride of the huns, the heir of Shan Yu, the most well trained and vicious warrior the world had ever seen.

The huns took up a pretty big corner of the Isle. They used wood to build up the walls that surrounded their encampment, and hidden archers shot down anyone who stepped past the first boundary line. Within the fortress, there was a pen for horses, and the huns slept how they always had, in leather tents, with a vent to let out the smoke. It was warm in the winter, and cool in the summer, and a big wok pot was settled nicely over the fire, where they cooked food with whatever filth they could scrounge up on the worthless Island.

When Mei was old enough, she started trading with the Dragon Court. She handed over leather and furs (DeVil just _gushed_ over those), and in return, got decent food for her trouble. Rice, peppers, good cuts of beef and chicken. Her people were finally eating food they were accustomed to, the kind of food her ancestors had eaten for hundreds of years, and Mei felt another surge of resolve. One day, she would get to China, and sack the capital. She would kill Mulan, and all her descendants, and return honor to her family.

Shan Mei didn't know it, but Li Lonnie was raised surprisingly similar to her.

Lanying had always loved to run, and she was the oldest of three siblings. Her mother always told her that women could do anything, as proven by the fact that she herself had served in the army, and now, she was president of all China, through the abdication of the emperor. He had offered Mulan the job to appease the peasants who wanted reform. Mulan gave it to them, and the emperor lived out his last days in retirement instead of fighting off a violent revolution.

She'd insisted on taking fencing instead of ballet as a child, and when she got to Auradon prep, she was very disappointed when she was told that there were no girls' sports at the school. It wasn't so much that they thought girls _couldn't_ play sports, but the princesses and heiresses Lonnie went to school with just didn't want to. She'd be a team of one.

Now, the story of the huns is not so black and white as you might think. Shan Yu's army was vicious, and they brutally crushed any of the Chinese infantry they found. They swept through the land like a black cloud, but Shan Yu was not _evil_.

He planted trees everywhere he conquered, because he loved trees, and they restored life to villages that had been burned to the ground, using ashes to grow stronger than before. Farmers who merely wanted to keep farming, and didn't care who ruled them were left alone by Shan Yu and his horde on their last sweep through China.

It was said, whispered in stories by survivors, that Shan Yu was the most brutal conquerer the world had ever seen, but he ruled his taken territories in a way that was fair and just. At the height of Mongolian rule, an unarmed maiden could walk down the street with a pouch of gold, and get home without being bothered, as the townspeople were so afraid of Hun retaliation, crime rates dropped drastically.

So when it came to Mal, who maintained power through fear and an iron fist, Shan Mei admired her, and she had no idea that Lonnie felt the same way.

Secretly, Li Lanying felt that her mother and father could be doing a better job running the country. There had been marked reforms in sexism, but there were still rampant problems with poverty and crime. They had no control over the Tong, Chinese mafia families that ran rampant through major cities, and a huge proportion of yearly tax dollars went to keeping up the retired former emperor's lavish lifestyle. It wasn't that Lonnie thought her parents were bad people, just that they were very set in their ways. They let the crime syndicates run free, and the emperor live in his extravagant palace because that was how it had always been. As much as Li Lonnie respected and admired her ancestral culture, she felt that some things were ready to change.

She talked about these things sometimes, to her best friend at school, her roommate Jane. Lonnie wasn't really _popular_ , but she was friendly, and well liked. However, she and Jane told each other secrets sometimes, in a level of friendship beyond what they shared with other classmates. Likewise, Jane shared her thoughts about hiding her magic, and being called plain by the other girls in their grade.

Now that Jane was gone (living with family out of the country for the spring, according to Fairy Godmother), she felt more lonely than ever before.

Jane, however, never forgot about Lonnie, and the things she'd told her friend about her guilt at how Mulan and Shang ran their country, and shock at the thought that an entire ethnic group was forcibly removed to a foreign land, where the terrain, climate, and customs were so different from home. She whispered these things to Mal, who kept them close to her heart for the day to come.

When she made it to Auradon, she would examine these claims firsthand, and see for herself if Li Lanying was better fit to rule than her parents. Surely, not _all_ children of Auradon were fools and monsters, and Mal could accept that possibility.

Whether or not Shan Mei would accept it, was another story.

• • •

Contrary to popular belief, the gods of mythological fame were not immortal. They were exceptionally long-lived, but they _could_ be killed. Hades, who was still able to do his work from out of the Isle, was no exception. It was sort of a shame that he and his wife had ended up placed down there, considering that what he did to that little upstart Hercules, was nothing compared to some of the things Hera did to her husband's extramarital lovers.

And yet, here they were, and so was their son, Hadrian. He was named after a family friend, apparently, and Hades had mentioned once that they'd meet him when they 'blew the ol' cosmic popsicle stand', and Hadie was forced to laugh at his dad's corny jokes to avoid rolling his eyes.

Hades and Persephone weren't really the typical Isle family. They loved each other dearly, and they loved Hadrian too, raising him to be the heir who would one day take over, should either of them be slain in battle. Because of this, Hadrian didn't really have many friends on the Isle. He was raised to think of himself above them, and he was, considering that he was a god of sorts, among mortals.

That was why it was kinda surprising to be approached by Carlos DeVil, one of the rulers of the Isle, and one of only four who Hadie considered his equals. The witch, who carried an aura of power and mystery, who could enchant a man with a wink, and make him give her everything, even his life. The warrior, who was the first to kill his parent, the ghost of Agrabah who could take down whole armies in minutes. The queen, who ruled in each lifetime (Hadie could sense that - it was a god's intuition, even if Mal didn't know it yet). And Carlos. The boy who was previously just a clever human.

The boy who now had the aura of a god.

"Well, well, well!" The son of the god of death smirked, and bowed, inviting Carlos inside. "What brings the Scion of House DeVil to my humble abode?" As if he didn't _know_ already.

"The release of the barrier has revealed some... Interesting secrets." Carlos broached the subject warily. "It appears I'm somewhat... _More_ than human."

"Not from _my_ pantheon." Hadrian shrugged, and dismissed him off-hand. "You smell like a god now, but you're definitely not from the Greco-Roman family."

Silently, Carlos deflated a bit, and Hadie decided then and there that he would help, if only to alleviate the boredom of being stuck on this prison with his parents, instead of back in Tartarus, where he belonged.

"But you know? I might be able to help you out, for a price." The young god of death smirked.

"What do I have that you could possibly want, besides information?" Carlos chuckled, careful to not let any real emotion show.

"I can't say just yet, but I'll think of something. A favor, let's say, repayable in the future." Hadie smirked.

"It has to be an equal trade." Carlos explained. "Helping me find out who I am isn't worth a life, or an army."

"Fair enough." The young god nodded. "One favor, in exchange for knowledge of your heritage. Let's shake."

As they shook hands on it, Carlos could feel the magic that bound them in a deal, as it swirled around their hands in heatless blue fire.

After that, death's heir curiously obsevered the rune-constellations that formed on the young man's skin. It was barely visible, but if you knew what to look for, you'd see them.

"Okay, see, these are definitely Nordic runes here. That makes me think you're from the Norse pantheon. Considering that you didn't have any magic before the barrier went down, I'd say you're a demi-god, opposed to an full-blood heir, like me." Hadie explained, before asking his next question. "Okay, any clues about who your dear old dad is?"

"My birth certificate listed a 'Jotunson' Carlos noted. "My mother used to mention a man named 'Luke' a lot, when I was a kid."

"Sounds familiar. Let me just..." With a snap of his fingers, Hadie summoned a book. Godly power was strong enough to do stuff like that, even behind the barrier, not that it mattered much now. No one ever approached this little corner of Auradon for favors, because it was well known that these gods saw them as insects, and would sooner turn them into animals or something than grant their wishes.

"Aha," the young god exclaimed, pointing towards an entry. "Loki was often called Jotunson, because he was the only Norse god who was born of a giant. He was literally, Loki 'Giant's Son'."

"Loki, the trickster..." Carlos thought to himself, and he liked it. It felt right, in a way that nothing else would.

"Indeed." Hadrian smirked. "Welcome to the club, Son of Loki."

• • •

"Young Jane," Diaval spoke, as he handed over a book that was bound in black leather, with pages in gold leaf. "In every court, there is a secret keeper, the faerie whom our queen most trusts, who is the only one with the knowledge of her fate. I cannot open that book. It won't let me."

The raven familiar demonstrated, trying with all his might to pry the book open, and failing spectacularly.

"Can you?" The man asked, and tossed the book to Jane. She'd come a long way since she ran from Auradon, and while she was much more confident in herself now, she was afraid to open the book, afraid to learn of her own power.

She opened it.

Instead of reading the information, it was like she absorbed it, and it was more than just fae history. It was knowledge, and intuition, and understanding, and suddenly, all at once, Jane knew her place in the grand design. She knew at once, that she had chosen the winning side in this battle, from the moment she chose to cast the spell for Ben. She was the Secret Keeper, and for the first time in her life, Jane was at peace. She now knew how the story would play out, and how they all fit into it.

Quickly, the young Fae left the chamber she'd been studying in, with Diaval. He cawed proudly, and perched upon her shoulder as a bird, while Jane rushed down the stairs of Dragon Hall, deep into the bowels of the school, to the library, black book clutched to her chest like a lifeline. She checked out twelve books from the bored teenager who was managing the sign out sheet, and took no notice of her as he read a novel, only glancing up to make sure she signed out her books properly.

Back in her room, Jane began reading, absorbing information like a sponge as she tore through each book, and made notes in a fresh notebooks, opposed to her usual memo book. She had an intuition that these notes should be kept separate. Jane didn't quite comprehend it yet, but Diaval saw the truth.

She was writing the story of Mal, and started at the beginning. Thousands of years before her birth.

_Once upon a time, there was a King._

Diaval cackled softly, and perched upon the windowsill to preen himself. He was only about a hundred years old, young for a Fae, but not too old yet, for a familiar. Maleficent never had any inkling that she was part of a grander pattern, and Diaval almost thought he wouldn't live to see Mal take her place in it.

But he'd found someone to carry on the story, a secret keeper who would set his mistress' daughter on the right path.

Jane continued to write.


	25. Chapter 25

"Jane, dear? We haven't seen you in days, honey." Evie called out into Jane's locked room, where she could hear pages flipping, and a pen scratching.

No answer.

Evie left the bedroom, and went to find Carlos, who always ate breakfast at Dragon Hall with Jay, even though they both lived in Hell Hall now.

"What's up, E?" The young man asked as soon as he saw his friend, who looked awfully disheveled.

"Jane's locked her room, and won't answer me. You know I'm the worst at lockpicking, so I was hoping you or Jay could help me get it open." Evie explained, and the two boys followed her to Jane's room, where the sounds of writing and reading could still be heard from the hallway.

"Alright, just give me a few minutes." Carlos explained, pulling his kit from the inner pocket of his jacket, and going to work on the door.

"You know why she's locked up in there?" Jay asked while they waited.

"No idea. Last night, Mal and I were thinking that we hadn't seen her lately. Earlier this morning, I went to check out a book from the library, and noticed that she'd taken out quite a few, half a week ago." Evie explained.

"So... She's on a weird Auradon study kick?" Jay offered, glancing at the door with distaste.

"No, I know Jane. If she was just distracted, she'd still be able to hear me. She's too polite to just ignore us." Evie muttered. Jane had really come out of her shell since she moved to the Isle, but sometimes her Auradon upbringing shone through.

"Got it!" Carlos smirked, and pushed open the door. What they saw in the room was... Surprising, to say the least.

Jane was hunched over a notebook, writing furiously as various books floated around her in magic. She'd pause in her writing sometimes, to look up, and flip through one book, then another, before writing some more. Diaval, who sat at the window as a raven, held a basket of food in one claw, and sometimes tossed a muffin or other food item to Jane, who caught it in her magic, eating it without stopping her work.

"Jane? What's going on here?" Evie asked kindly, and hoped that it hid the nervous tremor in her voice. As if she finally realized she was being spoken to, Jane started, and all of the books fell from the sky, released from her magic. A light paperback plopped onto her head.

"Ouch!" The young faerie muttered. "What are you guys doing here?"

"You wouldn't talk to me, Jane!" Evie exclaimed. "You locked your door and I had to grab the boys to come open it."

"Oh goodness! I'm so sorry Evie!" The girl exclaimed, glancing back at her work. "Diaval said I was the Secret Keeper, whatever that means, and I was just so busy. I don't know what came over me."

Evie walked over to the pile of books and papers, and glanced at Jane's writing.

"What are the four horsemen?" The blue princess asked, and as she said it, the title resonated deep within her bones.

"They represent the end of the world, Evie." Jane explained. "You, Jay, Carlos, and Mal. The four who will end the world."

"We don't want to destroy the world," Carlos interrupted. "How would we live in it? Or exact our revenge?"

"I don't mean literally, Carlos." The girl explained. "It's more like the end of an era. The end of life _as we know it_."

"Auradon." Jay confirmed.

"Right. You aren't only the horsemen though. You're also the knight, witch, wizard, and king." Jane explained, and none of them really understood her, but that was alright, because they would, soon. They'd come to terms with it and know the truth, and deep down, the part of Jane that was _nothing but magic_ knew this, as instinctually as breathing.

"How do you know all this, Jane?" Evie asked, perusing the books.

"I just do. The magic tells me." Jane explained, utterly calm in the face of this knowledge. "You're like a goddess, Evie. All four of you are special. You're meant to change things."

The original three glanced from one to another, warily.

"Diaval?" Evie finally spoke, and the raven cawed. "Find Mal. She needs to be informed."

• • •

"Now then, who among you is gifted in magic?" Mal asked, looking among the faces of the Fae army she'd inherited, as they tilted their heads, and quite a few stepped forward. She showed them to the carefully ordered army uniforms Evie had designed for them. They'd taken back the pairs they'd handed out, on the temporary basis for improvement.

"I need armor enchantments." Mal explained, and handed out photocopied spell schematics that she'd designed from pages in her mother's spellbook. "These enchantments simply need to be followed, and they'll make this leather armor as strong as steel, while maintaining ease of movement. I've also incorporated the shadow walking spell, so that even the members of my army who don't use magic can dissolve out of the shadows like my mother did."

The young queen watched, as the best Fae spellcrafters got to work on her specifications. It was sort of heady to have this much power. She loved the idea that her army would be able to fade into the shadows at will by merely getting to a dark place. It was stealthy, and dark, and just _gloriously_ wicked. When the first set of armor was done, Mal beckoned for Daria Tremaine, who'd volunteered to help test the outfits. She left into the tiny, cordoned-off changing room, and emerged, looking like a wonderful nightmare in the black leather.

"Now try and blend with the shadows, Tremaine." Mal ordered. This was the real test, since she didn't have magic, and the Fae queen wasn't really certain it would work. But of course, it did. It worked, and the girl appeared to melt into the shadows. Mal could see her if she really looked closely and tried, but no one in Auradon would be expecting that enough to look for it.

"Excellent work, Daria. It works like a charm." Mal praised, and the girl smirked, before putting on the mask portion of the outfit. With all of her army wearing this, no one would be able to tell how many there were, or where they were coming from. In this manner, a small, highly-trained task force could cause some serious damage against larger numbers.

She looked absolutely terrifying, honestly, with black shadows pouring off of her like ink, and her entire face hidden behind a white plastic mask. Her hair was tucked within a black hood that matched her dark outfit, and she wore the same fingerless gloves that nearly all aisle children wore. When this army came to take Auradon, they wouldn't know what hit them.

When Mal dismissed the girl, still garbed in her new outfit, she turned to face Diaval, who had flown in through the window doing the observation.

"Hello, Diaval. Do you have news?" Mal asked, and the raven became a man again, bowing deeply to his mistress.

"I have found your secret keeper." He explained, and Mal smiled, victoriously.

In their lessons, the raven had explained that in every Fae court, there was a secret keeper, the archivist who detailed the stories of that court and it's inner circle - the struggles, triumphs, and the causes they stood for. Diaval had been her mother's secret keeper, and he had sort of hoped to be Mal's, but it was soon proven that he wasn't. After Maleficent's chapter was written, the black book of the archives was closed to him, forever.

"Who is it?" Mal asked, practically sparking with anticipation as her eyes glowed that dangerous green.

"Jane." Diaval grinned, and he chuckled. "But it seems, sweetling, that your story begins far earlier than we thought."

He became a bird again, and perched upon her shoulder as they rushed to find Jane. In the young faerie's room, the other three were already waiting, and Mal smirked at them, rubbing her hands together excitedly.

"Hey M." Evie smiled warmly, and leaned against Mal as she settled into a chair.

"I have some really exciting news." Jane grinned. "Do you remember what Diaval taught us about the court?"

"Ideally, there should be five. A court is still a court though, as long as there's one ruler, and one advisor, right?" Mal recalled, from their lessons with her mother's familiar.

"Right. The first court - the very first - had five archetypes. The king, the witch, the wizard, the knight, and the secret keeper. Of course, they used different terms, but that's how the humans thought of it." Jane explained. "You four are the perfect examples of the first four archetypes, Mal."

"The queen." Mal smirked to herself, before she turned to Evie. "The witch."

"Jay is the knight, I'm guessing." Evie continued. "And Carlos is the wizard?"

"You catch on quickly." Jane explained. "The wizard doesn't necessarily have to be proficient in magic. That's the witch's job. He just has to be smart."

"The king doesn't have to be male either." Carlos noted, beginning to understand.

"Right. It's just a personality type and the role it plays in the court dynamic." Jane rambled on, and Jay interrupted before she could go on a tangent.

"I get that this is part of Mal's heritage, and I respect that. But why does it matter to _us_?" The thief murmured, crossing his arms.

"It's not just the Fae. The dynamic is repeated once a century, on the same basis." Jane smiled serenly. "The earliest recorded version was the original Fae court. The latest was King Arthur and his inner circle.

"In every era, four powerful beings emerge, chosen by a higher power to end the era, and usher in a new one. Personally, I'm beginning to believe they're always the original four, reincarnated. I don't have any proof though. It's just a theory." The girl finished, everyone in the room could feel the atmosphere, tense with magic.

"This isn't just a bid for power." Evie murmured, and shook her head in awe. "It's preordained. Destiny."

"What we were always meant to do." Jay whispered, frowning, and he didnt want to believe it, wanted to rail against fate, because it was _his choice_ , dammit! But he knew in his soul that it was true.

"This changes nothing." Mal smirked. Even though it changed everything. "I'm still going to burn it to the fucking ground."

"We'll be right there with you, Mal." Carlos grinned, cracking his knuckles. "Don't think you can get rid of us that easy."

"I want to take that gold crown right off of Ben's pretty little head." Evie smirked, grinning like the evil little minx she was, and Mal thought that the crown wouldn't fit her. It'd fall right down over her eyes, but it was the _thought_ that counted. She'd give Evie anything she wanted, anything her heart desired, and an ill-fitting crown was the least of it.

She was caught up in her own revenge fantasies when Mal realized that Jane was still sitting _right there_ , and they'd never really talked about the whole villain thing, and what they still planned to do to Auradon and all the people Jane grew up with.

"Uh, Jane?" The faerie asked, when she saw that her secret keeper was serene as ever, with that well of inner peace that had been steadily growing since she first embraced her magic.

"It's okay Mal. I know what you're going to do. And I'm okay with that." The girl explained. "The people I care about will survive. It's been foretold already. The people who deserve their fates will get them. That's the best thing about your new order, Mal."

" _What_ is?" The purple queen asked, leaning forward intently, and still not quite sure why Jane wasn't cowering in fear.

"It's fair, Mal. Everyone is going to get what they deserve, and balance will be restored." Jane grinned, more of an Isle smirk than she'd ever shown before. "My magic can't wait for the wrongs to be righted."

"Even if that means people have to die?" Mal asked, and Jane nodded, her face taking on a more solemn expression.

"There's been so much death already. Once the end is complete, and you're in charge, the killing will stop, finally." Jane smiled fondly. "The world will be in baance."

"Excellent." Mal grinned, and her eyes glowed like knowing emeralds.

• • •

"Okay Ben, what's going on?" Doug asked, taking his friend aside, after their meeting with the Dwarves had finally concluded. It had been a long three days, and only ended when Ben finally confessed that he probably wouldn't be able to get the miners what they wanted.

But he knew a nation that would give them a better offer in approximately two months or so.

"What's this other nation you're talking about?" Doug asked, and glanced around to see if they were alone, before he continued. "Didn't your dad tell you to get production started again?"

"It's complicated. A long story." Ben sighed deeply, and Doug raised an eyebrow.

"I've got time." Dopey's son settled against the wall to wait, and Ben sighed, before taking his arm, and dragging him into the room they were sharing for the mission.

"Listen, I need your _promise_ that you won't breathe a _word_ of this to anyone." The young Prince asked, and Doug glanced out the window. He crossed his arms and thought about it.

"What's going on?" Doug finally asked, looking lost, and sat down in the chair across from Ben.

"There's a queen out there, on an Island called Avalon. I'm madly, desperately in love with her." Ben explained, even as he stared out the window and imagined Mal there, smiling at him, encouraging him to continue.

"She wants me to get her the Dwarves. Why? I don't know. But I'm going to do what she wants me to." Ben explained. At Doug's questioning look, he amended: "She really _does_ plan to give them a better offer. It's just that her capital is mostly in military and gems right now. She needs to sell off some phsyical artifacts and stuff before she can pay the Dwarves what they want."

"Dude, you're seriously most over-the-top boyfriend I've ever seen. Most girls get candy on a special occasion. You're giving this chick an entire dwarven mine system." Doug snipped. "Who the heck is this girl?"

"She's an angel, Doug. I loved her from the moment I saw her. She's the best ruler in a century, who turns ashes into gold."

While Ben rambled on about how wonderful his dream girl was, Doug got into his suitcase, and pulled out a bottle of water, which he then dumped on the Prince's head.

"For goodness sakes, Doug! What the actual hell!?" The prince muttered, gasping and sputtering out water. "My good suit is soaked!"

"Enchanted lake water. It breaks minor compulsions and mind-altering enchantments." Doug muttered in way of explanation. "I think you might have been under a love spell."

"How do you know so much about magic?" Ben asked, admittedly a little impressed.

"Dwarves are magical creatures, Ben." Doug sighed. "Even though I know magic is outlawed, I can't just stop enchanting gems, or smelted ore. It's just my nature."

"That's just another reason I love my Queen." Ben smiled. "She loves magic. _All_ magic. She thinks it should be free."

"If you still feel that strongly, I guess I owe you an apology." The son of Dopey shrugged. "It seems you're not under a love spell after all."

"You were just being a good friend, Doug. Thank you." Ben grinned.

"So, what's this dream girl's name?" Doug grinned, and elbowed Ben.

"Mal. Mal Morgana." The prince dreamily replied, and Doug felt the ground drop out from under him.

"That girl who took over _the Isle_?" The young man asked, in a low voice, as if afraid he'd be overheard.

"She took over so that she could improve the quality of life for those who don't deserve to be there!" Ben exclaimed.

"They're villains, Ben. They _all_ deserve to be there." Doug hissed. "She's trying to take over Auradon!"

"I'm not under a love spell, I'm doing this because it's the _right thing_. I'm soon-to-be King, Doug, and I'm choosing the _winning_ side." Ben murmured in his most persuasive voice, the kind he used on finicky diplomats and feuding royals. "Don't you want magic to be free, Doug? Aren't you tired of being a second class citizen?"

And Doug thought, seriously thought about that, because he remembered being called a freak, by Chad and other students at school. Some even told him he didn't deserve to be there. He recalled how, as the son of a sidekick, and not a hero, he was relegated to a side table with basic chairs, opposed to the intricately carved mahogany that some of his friends got. He recalled all the times when he was pushed around and bullied, but the perpetrators were never punished because they were 'the good guys' and 'how could such a _good_ kid ever do _that_?'

"Isn't she married to the daughter of the Evil Queen?" Doug ventured, and Ben got a dreamy expression.

"Evie doesn't mind sharing." He grinned, imagining the two of them kissing in front of him.

"That's not my point, doofus." Doug rolled his eyes. "When the inevitable take-over comes-"

"She's not going to take over, Doug, she just wants to reform the system." Ben interrupted.

"Uh-huh. Reform it like she reformed the Isle." Doug deadpanned.

"Well, when you put it like _that_..."

"My point _is_ , Ben, when the inevitable hostile invasion takes place... What do I do, to keep _my_ head off the chopping block?" Doug asked with a sigh. He wanted all the things Ben had reminded him of, but he had really hoped it wouldn't result in such bloodshed. He didn't want to have to see people suffer and die (and he didn't know until later that people _were_ suffering. And people _were_ dying. They had been for _years_ on the Isle.)

"Make four crowns, Doug." Ben explained, and Doug found himself nodding, because he'd done smithing work before. It was how he'd paid his tuition for Auradon Prep, having come from a lower-class family. It was something he had a lot of experience with, and would probably enjoy doing.

"Make two for a woman, and two for a man." Ben explained, and Doug pulled out a notebook and began writing details.

"What do you know about them? It needs to be personal." Doug explained, and Ben cast his mind back to the beautiful people he'd met in that first meeting through the magic mirror.

"The first king is from Agrabah, the son of Jafar. He's a fighter, and a thief. He has dark hair and eyes, and his skin is the same color as burned desert sand." Ben explained, and Doug noted that the way he said it was the same awe-filled way he talked about Mal and Evie.

"The second king is the son of Cruella DeVil. He's so slight and pale that you think he might break like porcelain if you touched him. That's not true though. He can kill you with a thought. He sees himself as better than everyone, because he is. He has big, and pretty, dark eyes - the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen on a man, and he has freckles that look like a starry sky."

"And Evie... God, how do I describe Evie?" Ben mused, dreaming of her smile, of her lips, and her hair, and her eyes. "She's an angel, Doug. The most beautiful woman you've ever seen, with hair as blue as sapphires, and lips as red as blood. Not just beautiful either - she's a genius, and she carries herself with grace and power, like an Auradonian queen."

As he described her, Doug felt himself falling in love, just a little, with the ghost description of a girl he'd never met, and the dwarf _understood_ why Ben loved them.

"And Mal is the best of them. She's feminine, but clearly a ruler at the same time. She's dominating, where Auradon girls are demure. She lives, and breathes, and _exudes_ magic in everything she does. She's living magic and sex appeal, and she's like a goddess, but _more_. She has dark purple hair, and eyes that glow green in a way no human's can."

Doug was scribbling, writing this descriptions as Ben spewed them out like he couldn't help himself, and when he was finally done, he threw his notes to the side, and pulled out his sketch book to work on the designs.

"They're the greatest, Doug. All of them. They're going to remake the world." Ben mused, staring back at the ceiling with dreamy eyes. Doug wasn't quite under the same obligation to trust and believe them like Ben did (although later, when he saw them, he would go back on that sentiment and pledge fealty to Evie). But the son of Dopey wasn't nearly as stupid as his father's namesake implied. He wanted to be on the winning side of the coming war, that was all.

Currently, it seemed that Mal had the upper hand.


	26. Chapter 26

"My Queen." Ben announced, bowing before the magic mirror. "I have good news."

"Of course. Let's hear it." Mal grinned, smirking widely.

"My motion was passed. Your kingdom is now a part of Auradon, and there has been a scheduled meeting for the day of your arrival. When would you like to make your debut?"

"Two days from now. I want to do this as soon as possible." Mal explained. "Can I bring an honor guard?"

"Of course. Keeping the numbers small would be less controversial, but up to fifty are allowed in the Union Charter for meetings like this."

"Excellent." The Fae Queen nodded. "Give me two days to set my affairs in order, and I'll be ready."

At that, she turned off the magic mirror, and turned to Evie, barely able to keep the smile off her face. "We're so close, babe." She whispered, pressing their foreheads together. "I swear on my mother's soul that I'll get you that crown. The big fancy castle. I'll even get you a prince, if you want one."

"I don't want a prince." Evie murmured, "Just you, Mal. Only you."

"You and Carlos will have to stay behind you know." Mal whispered, and Evie nodded. She wasn't sure which of the boys Mal would be taking with her, but it seemed she'd decided on Jay. "I'd rather have his fighting skills on my side, and you and Carlos are so good at ruling. You can take care of the Isle while I'm gone."

"It'll be like you never left, my poison apple. I'll make sure of it." Evie insisted. They'd had this little meeting with Ben by themselves, since it was just an update and not a Dragon Court meeting. Secretly, Mal was starting to think that Jay and Carlos might not mind watching them together (if Ben's initial reactions were to be trusted), but it made things less awkward, since Mal had no intention of sharing Evie right now. Right now, she wanted to _celebrate,_ and it suited her well that they were alone.

"I don't know what I'm going to do without you." Evie whispered, and Mal stroked her hair back, out of her face.

"Think of me every night I'm gone, while you're laying in our bed, and when I get back, I'll bring you a gift." Make wasn't certain _what_ , just yet, but it had to be great. Nothing but the best for her girl.

• • •

"Phillip, we need to talk." Aurora tried to get her husband's attention, and he brushed her off like he brushed the lint from his tailored jacket.

"Leave me be, woman. I have an important meeting to get to, and I won't be late." The king insisted before he rushed out the door, slamming it behind him in a way that made the windows rattle, even in their sturdy, gorgeous, stone house, at the heart of the city center.

The next time Aurora tried to corner him, he very nearly slapped her - and while Phillip was far from an ideal husband, he'd never _once_ rasied a hand against her until now. That's how she knew it was _serious_.

"The faeries _left_ , Phillip." Aurora pushed on, trying to impart the urgency of the situation. "What if they went to go to that little brat Maleficent spawned!?"

"Then good riddance to them." The king replied, sniffing imperiously. "Your father, King Stefan (God rest his soul), was _murdered_ in the war with the Fae. I don't want them anywhere near us."

"That's not the _point_ , Phillip." The woman hissed in reply, "Do you want _her_ to have an army?"

"She's a half-human bastard child, who doesn't even have wings, or horns." Phillip smirked, and sipped his whiskey. "She's just a criminal with a penchant for murder. If an army somehow fell in her lap, she wouldn't know how to use it."

"Then tell me the truth, Phillip. I've been going over the timeline and circumstances in my mind, and there's only _one person_ who frequently visited Maleficent's cell seventeen years ago." Aurora murmured, mascara sticky from tears and cheeks flushed from arguing. "Is she a threat to our throne, Phillip? Are you her _father_?"

"Frankly, that's none of your business, my dear." Phillip smirked and Aurora wanted to just smack that damn self-righteous look off his face.

"I have never _once_ asked about your affairs, Phillip. But then again, your other little _harlots_ weren't a threat to Audrey's future!" The queen snarled, and jabbed an accusing finger at her husband.

"Even if I _was_ the brat's father, it wouldn't matter, she has no legal claim to our throne." (Except for the right of conquest, except for the Fae throne that had been occupied by their kind for generations before Aurora was appointed regent by Maleficent.)

"The truth, Phillip!" Aurora insisted, jabbing a finger in his direction. "For once in your _life_ , tell me the truth!"

"I don't know who got the _pixie_ knocked up but it wasn't _me_ , alright? Happy?" Her husband replied, going back to his drinking, and the queen had no choice but to take his word for it.

• • •

It was extremely rare for Mal to call a meeting of all first Descendants. That is to say, all the children of serious villains. Not just peasants who got locked away for theft, or even murder, but the real deal, the sons and daughters of the baddest criminals to ever walk the face of the Earth. In certain cases, (like Mad Maddie's) where the first descendant was dead (she'd lived with her grandmother for as long as she could remember), the second could represent as the scion of their bloodline. Mal had no use for the villains who'd gotten themselves locked up in the first place. They could _rot_ for all she cared.

"Now that we're all here, do you mind explaining why we were summoned?" Uma asked impatiently from the doorway, and Mal fixed her with a steady glare until she backed down, and submitted to the other girl's authority with a meek nod.

"I called you all here, because I'm taking a little trip to Auradon." Mal announced with a wicked smirk, and relished the gasps of shock and awe from throughout the room. When the chaos settled down, she continued her story in a casual tone. "It's just a scout mission, to case the joint. I'll still need a guard though. Who wants to come with? I'll need those of you who are best, since the numbers I can bring are minimal."

"I'll go." Daria stepped forward, cracking her knuckles with a grin. "I can't _wait_ to meet dear Aunt Cindy and her little brats."

"Count me in." Came the voice of Shan Mei, who could take down twenty men in thirty seconds flat.

Altogether, Mal got a round twenty-five volunteers for her honor guard. She and Jay would lead the offensive, if there was a fight, but Mal was _so_ hoping it wouldn't come to that.

Given that Mal was leaving tomorrow, a lot of the guards started making goodbyes, like Daria, who kissed a very pregnant Ginny Gothel.

"I wish you didn't have to go. The baby's coming pretty soon now." The girl muttered.

"I'm doing it for you, babe." Tremaine replied, and kissed the back of Ginny's wrist. "I just _know_ Ella's kids are gonna be terrors, but who knows about your stepsister? She may be half-decent for a simpering Auradon prat. Don't you want to know if you have family out there?"

"Ugh. I never thought about it that way. Make sure you come back soon, 'cause I swear I'm not giving birth without you. Antoine's a whiny bitch about blood."

"Wait, there's blood? Why does childbirth have _blood_!?" Daria's cousin chimed in with a terrified expression.

"Where do you think my missed periods went, idiot?" Ginny rolled her eyes. "They didn't just go away."

On the other side of the room, Harriet Hook walked up to Mal with a respectful bow. She hadn't volunteered for the guard like some of the pirates had (most notably her brother Harry, to Uma's displeasure), so Mal assumed she had a request.

"Pardon my intrusion, Commander, but I have a brief question." The pirate asked politely.

"Ask away." Mal replied.

"What are the odds that things will go south?" Harriet asked carefully, hoping her question would not offend.

"Not high, but there's a possibility. I wouldn't worry too much about your little brother." Mal replied off-hand, but the woman shook her head.

"No. I want protection for an ally in Auradon, if everything goes to shit. The daughter of the Mad Hatter is under my protection."

Mal was _extremely_ curious about that, but she simply nodded. Any child of the Isle wouldn't give their protection to an Auradonian lightly, after all they'd suffered through at the hands of that nation.

"Alright then. If she doesn't attack us, we won't attack her." Mal finally conceded with a curt nod.

"That's all I ask, my Queen." Harriet bowed in thanks, and left again, while the Kings and Queens followed her closely with their eyes as the red naval uniform left the room.

"My Queen." The next subject approached, this time Freddie Facilier, the only one who wasn't officially under anyone's rule.

"Hi Freddie." Mal smiled in return, a little half-smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"I came to let you know something." The voodoo priestess explained. "I don't want Maldonia."

"Who said we were taking over?" Evie interjected with a smirk.

"Oh please. You may have Auradon fooled, but I _know_ that as soon as the opportunity arises, you're going to cut off the head of the snake before it bites you."

"The only question, is to do it now? Or later?" Carlos chuckled.

"Whatever you do, I don't want Tiana's kingdom. I ain't fit to be a ruler." Freddie reiterated.

"What _do_ you want then, Facilier?" Mal asked, watching her closely for any clue as to her intentions.

"Tiana and Naveen. My spirits have been begging for blood from the day I was born, and they won't stop until I kill those two and settle my daddy's debts."

"Does it matter if you do it in person?" Mal asked, and Freddie nodded bitterly.

"I don't know why, it's just a part of the magic I don't understand. If I had some samples of their personal belongings or DNA, I could do it manually without actually being there. It'd be _awful_ satisfying to just slit those frogs' throats myself though."

"Got it." Mal nodded. "For a price, of course."

"Of course." Freddie rolled her eyes. "What do you want for your troubles?"

"One favor, payable for the future, to the price of two lives." Mal smirked. "I don't want anything you can give me right now... But I might later."

The night went on like that for several more hours, with Descendants coming up to Mal, and making requests for the trip to the mainland. Sometimes, she flat out refused if the request was too difficult, or if it seemed like a mistake. After all, Mal was a villain, but she was a ruler too, and it was her job to do what was best for her subjects.

Out of all the children of villains, Mal was rather surprised to see who renounced the kingdoms their parents wanted to steal. Of course, Mal herself had been raised to be a queen, just like Evie had, but among the other children of villains, only a handful were actually fit to take over a kingdom. Mal would be forced to appoint governors over lands she couldn't monitor in person, and she was hard pressed to come up with a list of those who would be both ready and willing for the job.

It was a question that the Fae Queen still thought about, even the next morning, as she prepared to leave in an armored car for Auradon.

"Let me adjust your sash-" Evie's sweet voice broke through Mal's thoughts, and she smiled indulgently. She hated when the other girl fussed over her, but she couldn't say 'no' when she was about to leave the only home she'd ever known.

Mal was wearing a dark purple dress, that came to her knees in the front, and dragged the ground behind her. She wore magically armored leggings beneath the skirt, and she looked like a true royal. Even though the fabric was second-hand, and like anything Evie ever made, it served a double-edged purpose. They were still children of the Isle, after all, hiding magic in colorful hair and claws beneath kitten paws.

"We're ready when you are, Mal." Ben announced, stepping out of the black and armored limosine he'd brought to pick up the Isle royalty in. Mal, Jay, and Jane Fairweather would be riding in the back of the vehicle with him, and her honor guard would follow after. Jane insisted on coming as Mal's senechal (something of a royal secretary), and to keep up the illusion, Jane wore an Isle dress, and her perfectly coiffed hair was grown out with magic. She was wearing gorgeous makeup, and her irridescent wings had grown to be twice their size in the months she'd let them flutter free in Mal's court. Looking like this, it was possible that Jane's own mother wouldn't recognize her.

"Ready to go, Jay?" Mal asked, half afraid to take her arms from around Evie's waist, because that meant she'd have to leave, and as much as Mal desperately wanted her vengeance, she hated the idea of leaving Evie, even though she knew her queen would be safer on the Isle. The half-djinn placed a last, lingering kiss on his demi-god's lips before he begrudgingly pulled away.

"Yeah. I was born ready." Jay whispered.

"Knock-em dead, dude." Carlos smirked in reply, even though his eyes looked sad, and the smile was more bitter than sweet. Evie was already fighting back tears.

"I _will_ come back for you, Evie." Mal whispered, under her breath in a tone that Ben couldn't overhear. "And when I do, I'll bring you a kingdom."

And that was that.

Mal locked down her emotions, and trapped them deep within herself, because it wasn't becoming of a conquerer to weep on the eve of her debut. She accepted Ben's arm as he helped her into the car, and the other two slid in behind them, with whispered smiles and glances. Jane had learned well from her days at court.

And Ben, innocent prince Benjamin, was still an open book, smiling at her with hope and love, but his palms were sweaty with nerves, and his voice cracked when he signaled the driver, wearing his heart on his sleeve. Jane and the Beast's son were two sides of Auradon's coin, but one had learned from what she'd seen and heard, and the other was still hopelessly inept, no matter how _good_ , and well-meaning he may be.

The people of Auradon knew Mal was coming, but they didn't yet know that the Queen of Avalon was the same child who had killed her own mother, and dragged her people out of nothing, who put herself on the throne because she _willed_ it, and not by any divine ordination (as much as Jane believed it was predestined to occur). They didn't know she would spend her entire time watching them, _judging_ them.

As delicious as it might be to reveal herself immediately, she didn't wish to bias their reactions towards her. She wanted to be a fly on the wall during their interactions, and when she thought it most beneficial, she'd reveal herself to all, and relish the looks of shock and indignation that she'd probably cherish for years to come.

_Oh,_ Mal thought, and her external smile was tempered by a wicked smirk in her own mind. _This is going to be so much_ _ **fun**_ _._


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: As hinted in the last chapter, this part was insanely, stupidly fun to write. Please bear with Mal's stream of consciousness rambling until we arrive at Auradon. For anyone who cares, I picture the Prince of Denmark's March as the music Mal and her army enters to.
> 
> Morrigan was an Irish goddess strongly associated with fairies and magic, and many think she was used as the basis for Morgan LeFay in Arthurian lore. Because of her affinity for ravens and witchcraft, I've woven her into the narrative as the first ancestor of Maleficent.

"I've a gift for you." Ben spoke gently, as they crossed the golden bridge into the promised land, and Mal was reminded of a statement from Carlos, just a few days ago.

_"Apparently, the Norse gods have to travel over a rainbow bridge to get to Asgard," Carlos had explained, and Evie bit her lip, while Jay burst into laughter, and noted: "That's the gayest thing I've ever heard, man."_

"What is it?" Mal asked politely, schooling her face to show a little shyness, and the passion that Ben was expecting from her. He pulled a crown from a hidden compartment in the back of the car, and showed it to Mal, so she could get a closer look.

"A queen needs a crown. They'll take you seriously in the court if you have the right symbols of power." Ben explained, and Mal could have laughed out loud at that, even as she admired the dwarven craftsmanship of the diadem she held in her lap with trembling fingers. There was no such thing as symbols of power, except for power itself. How the hell did a crown make her more powerful, or deserving of respect and admiration? The people of Auradon were _pathetic_ , she was certain.

The crown was rose gold, with purple garnets and amythests tastefully woven into the design, which looked somewhat like a cross between curling vines, and the horns of her mother's people. It looked just like her Isle crown - the one Evie had designed, and Carlos and Jay had forged with the dark iron they'd been able to get their hands on - but infinitely more expensive and precious, because of how it was made. It was her horns, the truest sign of her birthright outside of wings, and Ben had given them to her, when she was certain he only saw her as a bad girl who needed to be shown the light.

He'd given her a crown that she loved, and which suited her perfectly.

"Thank you." Mal whispered, and Ben placed the crown on her head with a smile. She thought Jay might have scoffed from the seat beside her, and it reminded her that Ben was _still the enemy_. No matter how kind and thoughtful he might be.

"We're getting close, Mal." Jane added quietly, and the purple-haired faerie nodded, getting used to the weight of the crown on her head. She pulled out her mother's spellbook, and turned to one of the bookmarked pages, before casting a glamour spell. Her hair curled a bit in a typical Auradon style and faded into a chestnut brown. Her eyes dimmed from their electric green into a dull blue. She affixed a second _notice-me-not_ glamour to herself, so that people who looked at her would see beauty, but would ultimately see her as average. Indistinguishable from any other Auradon princess, and for now, that was what she wanted. She cast a similar spell on Jane and Jay, which kept anyone who didn't really know them from looking too hard. Theoretically, Fairy Godmother might recognize Jane, but Mal didn't think she'd cause a ruckus if she did.

"Are we all ready?" Mal asked, checking her reflection in the car window as she resisted the urge to gag. _So preppy. Ugh_.

"Hang on." Jay replied, and pulled out his walkie-talkie, which was tuned to the frequency Carlos had selected for their lieutenants. "Calling all units. Come in all units?"

"Unit one, accounted for." Daria Tremaine's voice called out through the tinny speaker.

"Unit two, accounted for." Clay Clayton announced next.

"Witches corp, prepped and ready, all accounted for!" Mad Maddie's chiming voice spoke up from the static last, and Jay grinned proudly.

"All units, prepare for arrival. Formation B, Witches intermingled." Jay spoke into the receiver before he turned to Mal. "Anything to add, princess?"

"Make me proud." Mal laughed into the receiver. The inherent threat went unsaid: _make me proud or suffer the consequences._

The three diplomats exited the car following Ben, and accompanied by triumphant fanfare befitting a new member of the union. Two columns of soldiers followed Mal, and the pointed hats of her witches corp were interspersed at equal distances among the infantry.

"Now announcing: Queen Morrigan of Avalon, and her High General, accompanied by the royal senechal!" The royal caller announced, and Mal stood in the doorway behind Ben as the crowds applauded her arrival. She smiled graciously, and entered the grand hall with the gait of any Auradon princess. She and Jane had finally decided to use Morrigan, the name of Oberon and Titania's first child as Mal's disguise. Her grandmother was actually Morrigan the Fifth, and Mal could trace her family line all the way back to the original court. It was similar enough to her family line that her magic would recognize it as a part of her, but obscure enough that no human here would know the name's origin.

Mal and her two attendants moved through the audience to a back room, where the high council waited, to finally ratify Avalon as a new addition to the United Kingdoms of Auradon. She passed reporters and television cameras, and gave a brief wink to the subjects she knew were watching, from Ursula's Fish and Chips, and whoever else had access to the staticky, run-down televisions. Most of the army stayed behind in the audience chambers, but ten soldiers melted with the shadows, and followed Mal and her party into the throne room.

Once the door had closed on the media circus behind them, the council room was utterly silent, and Ben entered first, repeating the introductions, before leading Mal to the high table. Her ears were filled with the sounds of her own heartbeat, and she suppressed the shudder that begged to shake free of her bones as she gazed upon those hypocritical smiles and hateful, perfectly made-up eyes. Not all of the rulers looked upon this newcomer with masks, but Mal didn't notice them. She was too nervous.

The table was rich mahogany, and the chairs were cushioned in blue velvet, not to mention the swirled designs inlaid in _real gold_ along the wood of every piece of furniture. This fucking meeting room was worth more than all the Isle combined, and it made her _seethe_.

"Welocme to the high table." Adam broke the silence, and Mal smiled charmingly, despite the fact that she wished him dead. How _dare_ they sit here in this luxury, while people were dying!? Ben didn't even seem to notice, and he'd _been to the Isle_ , seen the damage first hand!

"Thank you for accepting my petition, King Beast." She murmured quietly, politely, keeping up the mask she'd worn for as long as she could walk.

"I've read over your proposal, and I'm quite impressed, but for the edification of the entire council, shall we go over the charter of provincial values and honors?" The king suggested in a manner that didn't really bode discussion, not that Mal would have protested it. The charter was essentially just a letter, outlining what the proposed new kingdom brought to the union. No one was accepted into Auradon without bringing something to the table. They couldn't just accept charity cases, no matter how heroic they claimed to be.

"Of course, King Adam. My biggest contribution to Auradon, would be my army." Mal explained. "I know the union is already strong, militarily speaking, but my army specializes in stealth and information gathering."

"No offense, your highness, but why would we need spies in a time of peace?" Charming noted with a raised eyebrow.

"No offense taken, but last I heard, you lost contact with the Isle of the Lost." Mal explained with a faint smile, allowing just the _faintest_ bite into her words. "The prisoners have taken over the prison, so to speak."

"Are you certain your army can infiltrate the Isle? The villains housed there are notoriously cunning." Aurora chimed in, and she didn't trust newcomers, but her distrust was out weighed by her fear of Maleficent's daughter.

"They have already infiltrated this courtroom, your highness." Mal replied, and with a snap of her fingers, the ten soldiers who followed her, emerged from the shadows, dripping inky black magic from their limbs, and wearing those blank white masks.

Briar Rose screamed in surprise and terror - the entire assembly was extremely unsettled by the fact that these faceless intruders had snuck up on them in their own inner sanctum, but they couldn't deny they'd been surprised.

"Well, I'm quite glad you're on _our_ side, my dear." Adam chuckled nervously, and Mal smirked in response.

_If only they knew..._

• • •

Once Mal entered the closed courtroom, and the reporters started speculating, Evie turned off the television.

"She's in." Carlos muttered. He'd seen Jay next to Mal, but he had to focus if he wanted to see, really _see_ him.

"I already miss her." Evie sniffed.

"I know the feeling." Carlos sighed. "What did Mal tell you about our plans while she's gone?"

"You're going to love it." Evie smiled sadly. "She wants to see if we can terraform the Isle through magic."

"We could be self sufficient." Carlos noted, pleased with that thought.

"Right. We also need to work on siege defenses, to guard against land and sea attacks." The blueberry princess added.

"We've come a long way from hiding out in a mausoleum, haven't we?" The boy asked with a bittersweet smile.

"We're still a family though." Evie noted, pulling Carlos close to her in a tight hug, as if she knew how he was feeling, and what he needed to hear. "No matter how far apart we are, we are always in each other's hearts. You and Mal and Jay are all I need."

DeVil's thoughts turned to schematics and plans, because he knew mechanics better than he knew his heart. He understood the mental blueprints of mounted cannons and trebuchets more clearly than he could ever understand why he liked Evie as more than a friend, but not _quite_ the same as he liked Jay, and how Mal took a piece of him with her when she left. He didn't like feeling there was something he didn't understand, because it could be used against him. Carlos was a genius, so why couldn't he understand why he would die for them?

"I hate having feelings." Carlos whispered under his breath. "Too confusing."

"Oh hush and let me hug you." Evie laughed, and gently wrapped her arms around her friend. "How about this? If I work with the Fae on terraforming the island, you use your resources to build up our defenses."

"I think that's what Mal was planning anyway. I may be a demi-god, I don't really have magic like you and her." Carlos explained. Ever since Hadie explained about his heritage, the son of Loki was having serious trouble coming to terms with his family history and newfound powers. He knew he had them, he could feel the magic in his bones, but it was far away, and he had no idea how to access it. Granting wishes came as easily to Jay as swimming, to a fish, and Mal and Evie were raised to know magic and how to use it. Even though his aura had changed, Carlos still felt painfully human.

"Don't worry about it. You'll have decades to work on magic." Evie reassured him. "Besides, I have a surprise for you."

"Evie, you didn't have to get me anything. It's not my birthday or anything." Carlos protested, but Evie shook her head gently.

"Can't I get a gift for one of my best friends without needing a reason?" Evie asked, good-naturedly pouting. "Besides, I've had it set up for a long time, and I only now got results."

"What is it?" Carlos asked, and the girl stood from the couch and strutted into the other room, coming back with a manilla envelope.

"Look inside." She prompted.

Carlos did as he was asked, and gasped when he saw the photos inside.

"Oh my god E, you found him?" The DeVil boy asked with a huge grin. He'd been trying to track down his cousin Diego, since way back to the day of reckoning, when Juan revealed that his older brother had run away a year earlier. He'd lost the trail at the docks, where rumors placed Diego on a pirate crew, but Carlos couldn't figure out who, where, or when. It was a dead end.

These grainy photos told a story that Carlos could read like a book as he flipped through. There was Diego flirting with C.J., and one picture portrayed him playfully shoving a male friend. The next set of photos were from downtown, where it was easier to blend in with the crowds and become anonymous. There were photos of Diego smoking in an alley, getting into a barfight, kissing an unknown girl in the corner of a club. There was a postage label from a package sent by courier to Diego's old house, with a note that instructed the deliverer to give it only to the boy, and make sure the father didn't get his hands on it.

Whoever compiled this information noted that the last package never reached Juan, likely because he was living at Dragon Hall now, and his father was dead. Some other family had moved into the old house. Carlos hoped Diego had heard about what happened on the day of reckoning and knew that his brother was safe.

"Thank you Evie... Thanks so much for doing this. You had no need to go through so much trouble for me." DeVil grinned through teary eyes. "Who did all this research?"

"I paid Shan Mei to put her best tracker on it." Evie explained. "I even lent them the camera we used to take pictures of living conditions on the Isle."

"It's wonderful, E. I'm so glad I found him." Carlos exclaimed. He flipped through the rest of the file to discover that Diego had a regular job as a musical act at a club in downtown now, and Carlos wanted to reach out and reunite him with Juan as soon as possible.

"It was nothing, Carlos. Really. Besides, I know how much you miss Jay, if the way I miss Mal is any indication. We both need _ample_ projects to keep our minds off of it." Evie explained, and glanced up as her friend's cellphone buzzed.

It was a single text from Mal.

_Wicked developments. Magic Mirror conference tonight, at eight._


	28. Chapter 28

When Evie and Carlos turned on the magic mirror, they were greeted by Jane, Jay, and Mal on the other side.

"Guys, I have the _wickedest_ news." Mal smirked, practically bouncing with anticipation.

"Considering you didn't tell us your precise plan, I have no idea what to expect!" Carlos replied, smiling because if Mal was this happy, it surely went well.

"Listen, I got the elite infantry to sneak into the council room and take everybody by surprise." Mal explained, punctuating her last sentence with a particularly Maleficent-like cackle. "They were all _so_ impressed, they want me to send my elite soldiers to spy on the Isle!"

"Oh _gods_ , that's rich!" Evie laughed. "You can't fail when you're spying on yourself!"

"And no one suspects a thing!?" Carlos added, incredulous. Not because Mal wasn't a glorious actor, but because the high council of Auradon was actually that gullible.

"Not a thing, dude!" Jay chuckled. "As we left the room, I heard Cinderella whisper that Mal looked so _proper_ for such a strategic mind!"

"Proper? _You!?_ " Evie laughed until she teared up, imagining Mal in their childhood, sitting like a boy with her legs apart, and bloody knuckles from beating the shit out of someone. She was many things, gorgeous, powerful, magical, but _proper_ was not one of them.

"What can I say?" The girl smirked. "I'm an evil genius like that."

"Anyway, down to business." Jay continued, putting the derailed topic back on track. "Today, Mal got a copy of all the court records dating back from the Isle's founding. We have a detailed, indisputable record of who did what, and when."

"Apparently they're public record for official nations of the UKA." Mal snorted.

"Ooh, juicy! Whose idea was it in the first place?" Evie asked, her eyes glinting in something that was not quite malice. She didn't mean "Who decided to get the records." Rather, Evie wanted to know who got the bright idea to create _the Isle_ , that hell that had built (and broken) them as much as their parents did.

"Beast and Beastette, of course." Mal scowled. "They swear up and down that Auradon wasn't created _solely_ for the purpose of locking up villains, but once the Isle was made, Auradon got a _lot_ bigger, and a _whole lot_ wealthier."

"Wealthier?" Carlos asked, and Jane answered him this time.

"Each nation pays an Isle tax, for the care and upkeep of the Isle of The Lost." She explained. "Currently, we have no idea where that money is being sent-"

"But it sure as hell isn't _here_." Evie finished.

"It's going to take a while to get the paper trail, but we may have more allies than we think." Mal continued. "On our way out, Elsa of Arendelle cornered me, and practically _begged_ me not to send troops to the Isle."

Mal rolled her eyes before continuing her tale, complete with ample air quotes and a very comical Elsa impression. "At first I thought she was scared for my soldiers, but I realized pretty quickly she was actually worried for the _villains_. She said, and I quote: 'That damn map was invasion of privacy enough, and if they aren't going to keep the peace on that island, they might as well stop trying to be voyeuristic about it.'"

"Oh god. What did you say?" Evie asked, leaning forward with interest.

"It took me a second to think of an answer, because I didn't want to seem like I cared, but I didn't want to alienate a potential ally either." Mal explained. "Finally, I just nodded, and said: 'I won't be looking at anyone's social life, just checking in on militias, defenses, weapons and the like.'"

"She seemed satisfied with that, but it gave me an idea." Jay added. "Once we got to our hotel room, I went through the court records with Jane, and took note of what Elsa and the others voted for."

"Surprisingly, she voted _against_ anything that would be detrimental to the villains." Jane exclaimed, beaming proudly. "She even put forth a motion to build a hospital!"

"Why would she do that? What motivation could she have to be a philanthropist to criminals?" Evie wondered aloud, and her frown matched Mal's as she puzzled it out.

"I have no freaking clue. It's confusing." The Fae Queen whined, very much a seventeen year old again, as she tested her chin on her hand.

"There were always rumors that she was almost her own villain." Jane added. "I've heard them since childhood, really. People say that if it wasn't for her sister, she might have locked her country into an eternal winter."

"Sympathy for the devil?" Evie mused, and that made Jay snap his fingers.

"Oh, that reminds me, there was something else in those papers we needed to talk about!" The half-djinn exclaimed, leaning closer. "No sympathy for the devil, but _one_ family had some sympathy for a _DeVil_."

"What?" Carlos frowned, his brows furrowing.

"Dude, your mom's enemies petitioned to get you off the Isle. One of the court records shows Anita and Roger requesting that one 'Carlos DeVil' be released from the Isle of The Lost!" Jay practically shouted, and Carlos shrank back, not afraid of _Jay_ of all people, but the idea that someone out there, his mother's _sworn enemies_ no less, seemed to care about him. Someone on Auradon cared about him, and it came to _nothing_. While he was being beaten and burned, and forced to clean his mother's coats as soon as he could hold a sponge, someone _wanted_ him.

"Who the _fuck_ told them no?" Carlos snarled, and Mal sneered at the memory, having had a similar reaction to the news when she'd heard it.

"It was put to a vote, and almost half the court voted for it. They lost by a slim margin, but a lot of the credit went to dear Ferdinand, who said quote: 'Who knows how insanity runs in the family? Do we _really_ want to take a chance that he's as crazy as his mother?" The purple haired faerie noted with genuine bitterness.

"I don't resent them for trying at least." Carlos let out a deep sigh. "If I'd been taken to Auradon, I'd never have met you three."

It was directed at all of them, but his eyes specifically raked over Jay as he said it, and the young man nearly smoldered next to Mal.

"Yeah, but we'd still find each other." A confident wink. "It's magic."

And such an ache then, as Carlos wished he could reach through the mirror and smack him playfully as they'd done so many times before.

"Anyway, while they went through the records, I tried to think up a plan. What do I tell them about the Isle I'm supposed to be spying on?" Mal explained, frowning and wrinkling her nose in that way she did when she was concentrating (Evie loved it). "I don't want to reveal what we're doing, but what angle should I take that would still be believable? Should I say that we're building an army? Pretend the fragile peace is falling apart? Invent a civil war between the Dragon Court and the Pirate associates? Which would be most beneficial?"

Evie had to admit she didn't have an answer for that. Should they make themselves look weak and desperate, or strong and evil?

"Let's think about the responses." Carlos explained, going into examples. "If they think we're controlling the Isle with an iron fist, it won't be much different than it is now. They'll probably be nervous at the 'evil', but relieved that there's no immediate threat."

"Oh, I see now." Evie nodded. "On the other hand, if we tell them anything about ramping up, like armies or gang violence, they might actually send someone in to clean things up, and that's something we desperately want to avoid, if we can."

"I think I agree. We should keep our cards close to our chests." Mal conceded. "Next question: should I try and get Elsa on our side? If so, how?"

"We need all the allies we can get, in my humble opinion." Jay noted.

"That's what I thought." Mal agreed. "But should I tell her my real identity?"

"Maybe you should scope her out first, see what she thinks of us in a private setting." Carlos suggested.

"Ooh, you should invite her for tea!" Evie exclaimed. "That's the best way to get a private meeting with someone in Auradon without seeming like you're desperate."

"Ughhh, so many ruuules." Mal groaned, and suddenly went stiff as she heard a knock on the door.

"Gotta go guys- someone's at the door. See you soon!" Mal whispered into the glass, before it went dark, and Jay took it to the bedroom, away from prying eyes.

"Just a moment!" Mal called out, and Jane helped her adjust her hair and put on her 'Auradon mask,' which hid her snide remarks and the sharp edges of her Isle-born smile. Finally ready, Mal rose from her chair, and opened the door, greeted by a pretty Asian girl, probably around the same age as Mal herself.

"Greetings, your highness." The girl smiled sweetly, and bowed. "My name is Li Lanying, eldest daughter of Fa Mulan and Li Shang."

"Uh, hello Lanying. Would you like to come in?" Mal asked sweetly, trying to hide her confusion. Did people in Auradon typically come calling after eight at night? Was inviting her inside polite, or offensive? There were so many unspoken rules of Auradon ettiquette that it made Mal's head spin sometimes with the fear of mistakes hanging over her.

"Thank you very much, Queen Morrigan. I don't plan to stay long, but I hoped we could get acquainted." The girl answered, still grinning that naive smile that seemed permanently attached to her face. "I heard from my parents that we're around the same age, and I'm very impressed with the fact that you're ruling a nation so young!"

They came into the tea room of the apartment that the hotel consierge had insisted was so cozy and small, but which was still over twice the size of most Isle houses. Maybe, when Mal was in charge, she'd turn this place into low income housing just to _spite_ them.

"Please take a seat, Miss Li." Mal smiled graciously, and sat down like a lady, noting as she did that Lanying moved with an Auradon grace that was different from what she'd seen of the other princesses here. Lonnie carried herself as a warrior more than an heiress. _Curious_...

"Would you like some tea?" Mal offered, and Lanying agreed, provided they had green tea. The purple queen was unfamiliar with the various teas available in Auradon, since the only kind she'd ever had was the herbal kind that Evie made, more for medicine than enjoyment. She glanced at Jane, who was hovering in the doorway. When her secretary nodded, Mal turned back to Lanying and replied that yes, green tea was readily available.

"I was just hoping to ask some questions about your country." Lonnie smiled, as Jane came by with steaming porcelain cups and tea bags, a bowl of sugar cubes to set between them.

"I'll be happy to answer what I can." _And make up the rest_... Mal thought to herself.

"Well first, how did you overcome your villain? I know it's not strictly a requirement to have a heroic story, but a the ruling families do."

"I slayed a ferocious dragon." Mal replied, with just the faintest hint of amusement. "Unfortunately, my poor parents died before I could learn how to be a Queen, so there's much I don't know."

"Oh, there are a lot of rulers in that position, like Queen Arrenheim, and Queen Rosiers." Lanying explained, and Mal had to stop her superhuman strength before she crushed her porcelain tea cup in a manner most unbecoming.

"Pardon?" She asked through gritted teeth, " _Aurora_ Rosiers?"

"Oh, I bet you didn't know," Lonnie quickly apologized for making assumptions. "She was raised by fairies and totally unprepared to rule her kingdom when she inherited it. It was pure luck that her betrothed, King Phillip, taught her what to do."

Make couldn't believe that revelation. She'd completely assumed that Briar Rose had utterly and deliberately betrayed her mother - could it be that she was just a naive child at the time? Fooled by her idiot husband into doing the things she did? As much _sense_ as it made, Mal didn't want to believe it! If she believed for a _second_ that Aurora was just as much a victim as the rest of them, she would be _robbed_ of her vengeance, the only thing that had kept her going all these years.

"Jane dear?" Mal barely kept from snarling in Lanying's presence, too irritated to even form a coherent thought. "I think I might prefer some wine instead of tea."

Lonnie would have commented on that, but she was distracted by the name.

"Funny, I actually used to have a roommate called Jane." Lanying noted. "She was sent to live with relatives after getting into trouble with her mom."

Jane froze at that mention as she came out to get Mal's cup, and the Fae Queen cursed the lack of control that led her to use Jane's real name in front of this stragner who _clearly knew her_. She looked like a deer in the headlights, and Mal thought she'd _trained that out of her_ , but Auradon habits died hard, and it gave Lonnie a chance to get a better look.

"Hang on a second..." The girl muttered, looking closely at Mal's senechal with a furrowed brow. It would take some serious will power to break through the notice-me-not charm, but Jane wasn't making it easier by standing there like a statue, and Lonnie clearly knew her well enough to know what to look for.

"Do I know you...?" She asked, tilting her  
head, before the dawning of recognition. "Oh god, it _is_ you, isn't it? Jane Fairweather?"

"Heh, er, you caught me, Lonnie!" Jane choked out, pale as death, and Mal elbowed her, as if to say 'Now that you're caught, roll with it! Don't just gape at her like a goldfish!'

"The Headmistress said that after you snuck out with Ben that time, she sent you to live with relatives from far away! You should have told me you were in town!" The Chinese girl exclaimed, and Mal could just about _roll her freaking eyes_ to the tune of this gullibility. Lanying was practically _giving_ them the answers she wanted to hear.

"Of course I wanted to tell you, Lonnie - we're best friends!" Jane exclaimed. "But Avalon really _is_ far away, and I couldn't write or call you."

Excellent lie, Jane! We might just make a villain of you yet! Mal thought with an inner smile.

"Jane is something of a distant cousin, Miss Li." Mal explained with a gentle smile. "I enjoy her company, and when I realized her talent for organization and planning, I insisted she come along as my senechal. If I knew you two were friends, I would have introduced you!"

"Besides, I was a little nervous to contact my old friends from Auradon Prep because they always made such fun at me, and what would they say about my being a court clerk at such a young age?" Jane added, and Mal admired that she used one of her own very real fears to craft a better lie. It was a work of art, honestly.

"I don't know about _them_ ," Lanying commented, "But _I_ think it's totally incredible! You've already got a high-ranking job, and Queen Morrigan is running a nation, and both of you are around _my_ age! In the face of accomplishment like that, I feel a little like an underachiever!"

The conversation continued smoothly after that, and Mal slowly ferreted out more details about the Chinese princess and her opinions.

"What do you think should happen to those who commit heinous crimes?" Mal asked, explaining that she asked that of every royal she met, since she couldn't ask her parents their opinion. She was very good at playing the inexperienced young ruler, as if she hadn't had control of her island since fifteen.

"I've never really given it much thought, but my parents only really dealt with one such group of criminals during their reign: Shan Yu and the Huns. As soon as they were rounded up, the entire tribe was sent off to the Isle of The Lost." Lanying explained. Mal kept herself from bristling, as she asked:

"And what is your opinion of that, Lanying?"

"Well, when I was a child, I thought it was great you know?" Lonnie explained, before sighing deeply. "But then I learned more about their history and culture, what little we know. The Huns are nomadic, and they've been raiders and conquerers for hundreds of years. They didn't know any better. Was it right to send an entire ethnic group to a tiny prison colony for just following their leader?"

"I suppose that's for _you_ to decide." Mal replied.

When Li Lanying finally left, around nine thirty, the queen was left with the impression that she was a smart girl for all her stupid Auradon naivete.

Lonnie left with the satisfaction that 'Queen Morrigan' could _pronounce her name._ She'd asked her opinion where her parents and their peers saw her as an upstart. A tiny seed of admiration was planted for the woman who seemed so much older than seventeen, a true respect that was worth more than just a flight of fancy.

Mal had an ally in Fa Mulan's daughter.


	29. Chapter 29

"All together now, on the count of three!" Evie announced, before counting up for the assembled Fae army in front of her. They'd figured out the right magic to use in terraforming the Isle, and today was something of the first test.

When she called 'three!' a burst of magic rushed over every inch of the island. Grass sprung up underfoot, and wildflowers bloomed out of season as the magic took hold over the dead soil of the island, transforming into a lush paradise. Ivy crept across the walls of every building, somewhat insulating the shoddy construction with leaves and vines. The dark and forboding trees in the forest started growing taller, and greener, dark and curling leaves replaced with bright green foliage. Every struggling garden outside Dragon Hall grew three times in the space of seconds, and the greenhouse workers were rushing to and fro to gather all the new produce that had suddenly appeared on heavily laden plants and vines.

Evie looked around when the magic had dissipated, and she smiled brightly at the grass beneath her feet. "It worked." She whispered. "It worked!"

"Did you expect any less, my lady?" Flitter, the head of the terraforming group commented, glancing at his fingers with disinterest. Most of the Fae army accepted their Queen's chosen consort with grace and respect. Witches had always been close allies with the Faeries in the past, so it wasn't uncommon for some to intermarry. The children tended to have a blend of Fae and Witch magics, which were very different, but 'played together' well, so you speak, especially in earth-related magics and the like.

"Well, Mal believed you could do it, and I trusted her judgement." Evie explained. "Still, _believing_ it and _seeing_ it are two different things."

"It was actually a lot easier than I thought!" Another faerie commented. "Less like _forcing_ things to grow on a barren rock, and more like _removing_ the block that prevented things from growing in the first place."

"Wait," Evie interuppted, seething. "Are you saying that they _put us here_ and then took away _any chance_ of growing our own foo!?"

"Oh no," Flitter interrupted. "Madame Fairweather was responsible for Isle magics, yes?"

Evie nodded her agreement. As far as she knew, no one else had tampered with magic here until Mal herself.

"It couldn't have been her." The elemental faerie insisted. "This was dark magic, definitely Unseelie. I'm not sure Fairweather would even be _capable_ of casting a spell like that."

"Oh, I entirely agree!" The second faerie chimed in. "It felt like old, _old_ , magic. Something from _eons_ ago, definitely not a recent working."

"How curious..." Evie mused, biting her lip in concentration. She'd never really thought about it before but... What had the Isle been before they were placed here? Where did it come from? Who lived here before them, if anyone? Originally, they'd all thought that the Isle was just a pile of dirt upon a platform of some kind, after all, it was very conveniently close to Auradon to be a natural island. Carlos had once speculated that it might have just been a rocky outcropping with sand poured over it, but while that theory explained why nothing grew in the town, it didn't explain why the forest existed, magical and mysterious though it was.

Evie dismissed the faeries who'd helped with the terraforming, and frowned in thought as she walked to Hell Hall to meet up with Carlos.

"Frowning causes wrinkles, you know." The young man commented as she entered his home, and Evie immediately snapped out of it, recalling her mother saying those very words so often during her childhood. She realized what Carlos was doing, and scowled at him.

"Carlos! You _know_ that freaks me out."

"It got you to stop frowning though." The boy replied.

"Only to make me scowl!"

"Let's find a way to make you smile then, shall we?" Carlos smirked, and Evie finally broke into a gentle smile, rolling her eyes.

"I appreciate the effort, C, but I actually have something to talk about." Evie explained.

"Talk away. I'm just calibrating the math for this trebuchet. I can multitask." Carlos replied, turning back to his work.

"Well operation Green Earth was a complete success." Evie began.

"But...?"

"But we found out something rather... _Perplexing_ in the process." The girl continued. "Someone, likely a faerie, likely before any of our parents were born, placed some kind of a spell on this island."

"So... The island existed back then?" Carlos hypothesized, and the gears in his mind started turning.

"That's the theory at least. It's the reason nothing grew here, even when the barrier was down and we got decent sunlight for once." Evie explained. "Of course, that doesn't explain the forest, but it's a start at least."

"I kind of miss the old days, back when our only concern was beating the shit out of people who threatened us." Carlos sighed.

"As soon as this is over, we can rest." Evie affirmed. "Once we've achieved Auradon, we'll take a nice, long vacation. Maybe you and Jay can finally tie the knot?" She smirked.

"I _do_ like the thought of showing everyone that he's mine." Carlos smiled. "I can only imagine the flocks of Auradon girls drooling over him as we speak."

At that moment, in fact, all way over the bridge into Auradon, the only girl who was paying Jay any attention was Mal, and Mal Morgana drooled over _no one_.

"All ready for that meeting with Elsa Arrenheim?" Mal asked, adjusting Jay's mask and outfit. His armor was different than the infantry, because it was sleeveless, the better to show off his wicked tattoos, the patterns of history that he proudly wore across his arms. Carlos loved to trace the marks with his fingers as Jay did the same with each of his freckles.

He'd first started getting them when they were still in the Mausoleum. Mal was a glorious artist, and an older friend had taught her how to craft a homemade tattoo pen. She'd asked Jay to get her _Long Live Evil_ mantra as proof that all their years of animosity were finally behind them. She wouldn't have asked that of the others, but Jay was the closest thing to an equal that Mal had ever met, and if anyone was going to be able to betray her, it'd be Jay.

After that first set of words that read like a sign on his inner wrist, Jay found that he liked it. Once Jafar was dead, he got a fierce cobra that wound around his bicep to represent the parent he'd indirectly had killed. Next a Muslim crescent moon and star to show the religion he came from, and was slowly learning more about. Chains for his imprisonment on the Isle, and a genie's lamp, the thing he'd always wanted, the thing his father had drilled into him that he _needed_.

In this particular armor, all his battles and trophies were shown proudly on his arms, to strike fear into his enemies.

"Ready as I'll ever be." Jay replied, and the purple-haired girl could hear the smile in his voice, even though she couldn't see it behind his mask. When the knock came at the apartment door, Mal smirked and hurried over. She had re-cast her glamour that morning, and knew she wouldn't be recognized unless she chose to reveal herself.

"Welcome to my humble abode, Queen Elsa. I'm glad you were able to come!" The hidden queen invited her guest into the tea room, where Jane had prepared scones and a teapot full of hot water so that the two royals could choose their own tea.

"Thank you for having me, Queen Morrigan. I was really looking forward to talking with you." Elsa replied. "I'm not often invited to these get togethers with other rulers, so I was very pleased by your invitation."

Elsa wasn't popular among the other royals? Interesting...

"I can't imagine why. Arendelle is an international shipping empire, and you seem to have a very good heart, your highness." Mal insisted, and Elsa's eyes lit up, letting her know that the compliment was having the desired effect.

"I'm so glad you think that. Most of the high council tend to disagree with me over matters of the Isle." Elsa explained.

"I noticed. I read through the past court records last night after sigining the papers that legitimized my nation as a member of Auradon." Mal replied. "You've been quite the crusader when it comes to ethical treatment for the Islanders."

"And?" Elsa prompted, looking like she expected Mal to laugh at her.

"I think it's admirable. It may be acceptable to deny healthcare and clean water to those who've committed capital crimes, but it's completely _unethical_ to deny it to the children of those criminals, or those who've been exiled for lesser offences."

Elsa let out a breath of relief at that.

"You have _no idea_ how happy I am that you agree." The woman sighed. "So far, my only ally in the court is my cousin, Rapunzel."

Rapunzel agreed with Elsa's measures on the court? Daria Tremaine would be pleased to know about that.

"Some of the other nations occasionally agree, notably Agrabah and Maldonia, the ones with rulers who know what it's like to be poor." Elsa continued. "If it wasn't for Corona's assistance though, things might be even worse. It's all we can do just to keep them from passing the worst laws. We don't have enough power in the court to propose new ones."

"Tell me, your highness, is it better to rule through admiration, or fear?" Mal asked, and saw Elsa's face clam up again.

"Why do you ask?"

"Because my parents died before I took the throne, and I was curious. I was never able to ask them these things, so I ask any other ruler I can get my hands on." Mal explained playfully, and Elsa relaxed again, with something like sympathy that flashed in her eyes. Lanying had mentioned that Elsa was in a similar situation herself. The Ice Queen thought about that for a moment, and recalled how her people had always seemed to admire her, until her powers were revealed, and then they turned on her in the blink of an eye.

"It depends on the situation, I think." Elsa finally spoke. "If people can be trusted to do what's right, rulers should trust them enough to give them that freedom. But if all people know is self-destructiveness, they must be ruled with an iron fist, lest their society falls into chaos."

"I see." Mal replied, secretly rather impressed by Elsa's wisdom in that response. "As for myself, I tend to believe that people should be allowed to do as they wish, for the most part. But we as rulers must give them the opportunities they need to grow."

"When I first took the throne, my mother had left the country in something of a... _fragile_ state. Unemployment was at an all-time high, and poverty was running rampant. Before I could ask my people to follow me, I had to make concessions to improve their lives, by creating jobs, and government programs to help them get back on their feet. I think that if you treat your subjects well, they'll grow loyal to you." Mal explained. She actually felt that was the truth. Her mother had never really bothered to rule the Isle, even though she was perfectly capable.

"Let me take _your_ invasive question, and ask you one of my own." Elsa teased. "What do you think of Mal Morgana?"

"The leader of the Isle of The Lost?" Mal asked, hiding her shaking hands under the table. Why would Elsa ask that? Did she know or suspect her true identity? Mal would have to play this _smooth_ if she wanted to get answers without revealing her hand.

"Well, I've read the reports from the Isle council meetings when she first made her debut, so to speak." Mal cautiously explained. "From what intelligence I can gather, it seems like she rules with an iron fist. She made an example killing up front, but her executions have tapered off since then, so I get the impression she wanted to scare people into obeying, and doesn't take any enjoyment from the killing itself."

Now here was the scary part. Painting herself in a positive light without revealing anything she wasn't supposed to.

"I think, for a child raised by villains, she's doing the best with what she has. Statistics show that there have been fewer deaths from exposure, starvation, and sickness than ever before under her reign. If you don't count her own judicial killings as crimes, the crime rates have also been greatly reduced."

"We never heard those statistics in the Isle court meetings..." Elsa mused.

"Certain parties thought in their best interests to obscure the facts." Mal explained curtly.

"Then how did _you_ find out?"

"I asked Yen Sid. Gathering information on the Isle is his _job_ after all."

"Yes," Elsa nodded, thinking back to past meetings. "I remember that King Adam and some others were discrediting him recently, saying that he'd been corrupted by evil or some other nonsense."

"At the risk of sounding like an insane person, I believe I can even explain why." Mal continued, easing her way into the big reveal. "It's public, though not exactly _common_ knowledge that the Isle is an independent nation. Adam made it so, in order to bypass the dungeon accords and legally create a prison colony. I speculate that if they took Mal seriously as a ruler, they would also have to take her nation seriously, and they'd have to face the consequences of their actions."

"It's as good a theory as any." Elsa replied.

"And what do _you_ think of Mal Morgana, Queen Arrenheim?" Mal asked, and her shoulders were tense, prepared for anything. She was even ready for Elsa's shocking reply.

"I think she's sitting across the table from me, isn't she?" The queen smiled brightly, as if she'd just figured out a puzzle, and Jay immediately darted forward from the doorway to wrap and arm around her throat, pressing a knife into her pale neck.

"Excellent deduction, your highness." Mal sighed. "How did you guess?"

"You spoke so passionately about the good that you've done, and no one from Auradon calls King Adam just 'Adam', not even a newcomer, like you were pretending to be. You said his name with such... Anger." Elsa explained, sadly.

"I can't let you leave here knowing my secret." Mal replied, and Elsa smiled, showing just the glint of what Hans must have seen when he lied to her. She looked bloodthirsty.

"I don't think you could keep me if you wanted to." She replied coolly, already covering Jay's fingers and hands with frost as he shuddered. Mal cast a warming spell that she had to pour more and more magic into as Elsa increased her own power.

"I have come _too far_ to choke at the finish line!" Mal hissed.

"What are your goals, Mal? What do you hope to accomplish?" Elsa asked, all icy calm to Mal's burning fury.

"I don't want revenge. But I _do_ want justice. By Fae law, I legally have the more valid claim to Aurora's throne. I want my family land back, and I want them to _pay_ for all the lives _lost_ on that damned island!"

"Good." Elsa smiled gently. "Consider me an ally."


	30. Interlude V

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This interlude was heavily based on the song "The Wanting Comes In Waves" by the Decemberists. If you know that song, you'll probably recognize elements of it here. Read on for a dialogue between mother and daughter, the fate of Ben Beast, and who Mal's father is!

"Here are the instructions for the ancestor meditation, Mal." Jane said, handing her queen a set of pages she'd written, based on the information from the Fae records

After her meeting with Elsa, the woman had offered her some parting advice: "I lost my parents at a very young age, but they left me some very detailed journals behind, that helped me learn more about them as I grew up."

She'd smiled then, and patted her shoulder. "Don't forget that your mother might have left behind secrets for you to unlock."

What Elsa had said about consulting diaries and records had really stuck with her. Her mother might not have left a journal, but every faerie was connected to her ancestors by the sacred string of her family magic. She could access her bloodline through a special meditation, and finally get some answers from the only one who could give them.

Maleficent.

After reading the instructions, Mal sat down in a comfortable chair and closed her eyes. She started to slow her  
breathing, and visualized her magic. Then, she saw it weaving away from her, and felt herself leaving her own body to follow it. Once Mal felt she'd reached her destination, she opened her eyes, and found herself in a quiet cave. There before her, looking much better than Mal had ever seen her alive, was her mother.

"Mother." Mal nodded brusquely, and the so-called mistress of all evil smiled gently.

"Hello, little dragon. Given that you just performed the bloodline mediation, I'd say Diaval is back, isn't he?" The former queen mused to herself.

"Actually, I got the spell from my secret keeper." Mal replied, hoping she could finally make her mother proud, even though she thought she'd rooted out those desires years ago.

"Oh, good. I bet your court is coming together, isn't it, my daughter?" Maleficent replied, smiling in a way that held no malice, no manipulation. She'd called Mal her _daughter._

"M-mother?" Mal stuttered, losing all of her composure as she teared up.

"You make me proud, Maleficent." The woman smiled, finally, finally bestowing Mal with her full name as tears streaked down the girl's cheeks. She'd expected to be taunted or yelled at. She hadn't expected _this_.

"Did your secret keeper tell you that the dead have knowledge which the living cannot know?" Maleficent asked, and when Mal nodded, she continued. "I'm sure you have questions, Mal. Ask them."

"Why did you lie to me, mother? You've been lying, and treating me like crap for my entire life!" Mal exclaimed, her pride and guilt morphing into anger.

"They forced my hand. You grew up in a slum, the likes of which had never been seen by anyone who lived there. It was violent, and I had to teach you to survive and be independent." Maleficent explained. "I wasn't completely sure of my path at the time, but after my death, it was confirmed for me. If I had not raised you as I did, you would not be the person you are today, Maleficent Morgana."

The former queen pressed her head against Mal's, and conveyed feelings, images, a vision of the future.

In that alternate world, Mal had grown up being loved and cared for, but she was weak, and could never leave the castle alone without fearing for her life. She still knew Evie and Carlos and Jay, because in this world, their parents were allies. But in that alternate universe, she couldn't threaten the Evil Queen into submission, and Evie grew more depressed and ashamed every year. She didn't have the power to protect Carlos from his mother, and by the time he reached sixteen, he had more scars than freckles and a very real fear of dogs. She never killed Jafar, so Jay's back remained a patchwork of scars, with raised lines that overlapped each other again and again in the phantom marks of past beatings.

In this alternate future, the death toll grew higher and higher because Mal never took control of the island. She wasn't strong enough. Juan DeVil died of his injuries after defying his abusive father. Hildegard never realized her powers, and became a prostitute by the age of fourteen to support herself. Ginny Gothel was murdered in her bed by her own mother, who was never punished for it.

By the time Maleficent pulled away, Mal was openly weeping, sobbing at the ghost of a future she'd seen. If she had grown up trusting, and kind, she never would have been strong enough to defend herself or her friends. Without suffering, she would have never learned what life was like for others, on the Isle of The Lost.

"You hated me so much that you killed me as soon as your power allowed it, and that made the Fae army flock to you, my dear." Maleficent explained. "You are twice chosen, and doubly valid."

"I never hated you mom." Mal replied, sniffling. "Not even when I should have."

"I was a child when I ascended to the throne," Maleficent continued. "I was so young and unprepared that I allowed myself to be betrayed by humans. If conditions were different, I wish I could have raised you like the princess you were. But as it was, I had to settle for making sure no one would ever cross you."

"Who is my father, mom?" Mal asked, and her mother smirked wickedly, for the first time since she'd arrived.

"I think I'll let you figure that out yourself." The woman grinned. "It's more fun that way."

"Mother!" Mal groaned.

"I didn't lie about The Moorlands though. They're yours, by Fae law, Mal." The woman became suddenly serious. "That place has been the seat of the Fae court for eons, ever since our people were driven from Tir Na Nog."

Mal thought about that for a second, and then racked her brain for the other things she could ask a dead person, who had knowledge no living person could ascertain.

"I have a question about the future." Mal finally began. "There's this boy."

"Ugh, really, Mal? I thought you were _past_ stupid _mortal_ love affairs. _Please_ tell me he's at least a magical being of some kind."

"What does that matter, mother!?" Mal hissed, recoiling back when Maleficent grasped her hand, and absorbed the information about Ben and the way he'd treated her. She was quite surprised when her mother wrapped her in a hug.

"Oh Mal. Oh Maleficent... This boy will _break your_ _ **heart**_ if you let yourself get attached." The woman whispered. "Humans always will."

"Not all humans are evil, Mother!" Mal insisted, pulling away from the hug she'd always wanted.

"I quite agree. And that boy is _anything_ but evil." Maleficent nodded, before her face went dark. "But he _will_ break your heart, just as Briar Rose broke mine. I see a potential future where he makes you cry, my little dragon. I see another, where his betrayal breaks you, and you lose everything you ever built, as I did."

"You're wrong, mother! Ben wouldn't betray me! He _wouldn't_!" Mal insisted, even though the seed of doubt had already been planted.

"You would be surprised what havoc comes when you love an unfaithful human, my daughter." Maleficent whispered.

"Speaking from _personal experience_ , mother?" Mal sneered.

"I am, in fact." Maleficent snarled right back. "It's common knowledge that your father was a human, isn't it?"

Of course he was, Mal knew because her mother had taunted her with it often enough as a child, telling her that she was only half as strong as Maleficent, because of her weak human father.

"You loved my father?"

" _Once upon a time_ , as the humans say." Maleficent spat. "And do you _know_ what he did to betray me, Mal? _Do you_!?"

"N-no-"

"He _cut off my wings_ , Mal! I _loved_ him, and he _stole my very_ _ **birthright**_!" The mistress of all evil roared, in a manner very much like a dragon, and Mal cringed back at the sheer volume of rage and hurt that was radiating off of her mother.

"I raised you up from _nothing_ , Mal Morgana! I gave you all the tools you needed to get yourself off of that fucking island, and _this_ is how you repay me!?" Maleficent snarled. "By falling for a weak, _pathetic_ _ **human**_ , who will turn on you in a second to save his pride!?"

"Ben wouldn't _do_ that!" Mal insisted. She knew he wouldn't! He treated her the way _she_ treated Evie. He gave her horns, for crying out loud! He would never betray them! ... _Would_ he?

"Play around with him, Mal. Hell, I don't care if you have a little _half breed_ of your own with him." Maleficent sneered. "But mark my words. If you get too attached to him, your entire kingdom will fall."

"I... I will remember your advice, mother." Mal finally replied. "The first time he makes me think he'll turn against me, I'll eliminate him."

"See that you do, Maleficent, darling." The horned woman insisted quietly, solemnly. "If you don't, you'll suffer for it."

• • •

Evie held her breath as she opened the package of tarot cards that had been sent from Auradon, along with a letter, explaining that they were from Jane, who'd managed to finally track down a full set of the major arcana from Auradon. Evie was taught the meanings of the cards from the day she was born, of course - fortune telling was a time-honored witch's tradition after all. But she'd never before had a deck of her own, and she was practically burning to ask the question she'd had in her mind since the day Mal left, and she saw her on the television, wearing a crown that clearly came from Ben.

She shuffled the cards carefully, before mentally asking her question, and willing the tarot to answer.

Show me Mal, Myself, and Ben.

The first card she turned over was Justice. Fitting, for the high avenger, the Isle of the Lost's sole judge and jury. What they were planning to do may not be _right_ , but it was _just_ , in their eyes at least, and for Evie, this confirmed it.

Her own representative card was The High Priestess, a card which meant inner wisdom, faith, and spirituality. Generally, when that card showed up in a reading, it meant that the recipient should trust their intuition, so Evie categorized it to recall later, if she was indecisive about something.

Finally, she pulled out the card that was meant to represent Ben. She wasn't sure what she expected it to be. Would his card be that of The Lovers? Evie half-believed it to be so, because Mal was clearly so attached to him, and if Mal really wanted it, she wouldn't mind sharing her if she got some princely action for herself. And yet, what if he was _too_ good, and Mal forgot herself, or worse, forgot _Evie_ , in the pursuit of his world. Taking a deep breath, she turned the card, expecting either The Lovers for his attachment to Mal, or The Fool, for his pure-hearted naivete.

The card, when flipped over, was the exact opposite of what she expected.

Ben was The Hanged Man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Yes, I am aware that on the night they spent together, Stefan hadn't yet had Aurora, supposedly making Mal older than all of her peers. Mal is confused about that too, considering she was certainly born after the Isle's creation. All will be explained.


	31. Chapter 31

An entire month had passed since Mal had come to Auradon. Thirty days of meeting with royalty and lying through her teeth to the ones she despised. Twenty days of debates over tea and laughing with Elsa (and later Rapunzel and her entourage) as she regaled them with tales of her childhood. Ten days of nervous planning and double checking, and making sure that everything was _perfect_ for the great piece of theater she was about to undertake.

Three days before the monthly Isle council, she asked Ben who'd cut off her mother's wings.

"Oh, that was King Stefan, apparently." Ben had replied. "Don't judge him too harshly though. At the time, there was a massive reward for anyone who could kill Maleficent and take her wings as proof. He could have killed her, but he didn't. It was an act of mercy."

Mal could have killed _him_ for that, and she understood her mother's words about the folly of well-meaning humans. In Fae culture, wings were the purest sign of magic and which court you were a part of. Without wings, no one could tell at a glance if you were seelie or unseelie. Wings contained a part of the holder's magic, like a well that stored anything that wasn't being used. Without her wings, Maleficent's power had been torn away from her, leaving her at less than half strength, and the loss might have well started her on the path to insanity.

It would have been more merciful to let her die.

On the morning of the council meeting, Mal got a text message informing her that Ginny Gothel had gone into labor. If all went well during the day, she hoped to have her army back home by sunset. Later on, she would look back at her hopeful optimism, and wonder why she put so much _faith_ in Auradonians _._

"Good morning, everyone." King Adam announced, once everyone had filed in. "Today we have good news! Queen Morrigan informs me that the first wave of her spies has returned from the Isle, and she has some information for us."

"Thank you, King Adam." Mal replied, and rose to her feet as she was given the floor. "Many of you are aware of the behavior of Mal Morgana, daughter of Maleficent. She has been building an army, but my spies have discovered something quite peculiar. She doesn't want power for power's sake. I have discovered that Mal created her army in pursuit of revenge."

There were a few scandalized gasps from around the table, and Mal held up her hand for quiet.

"King Adam, I hereby request to use the services of Madame Fairweather." The queen announced. "I have traced Mal's complaints back to Aurora Rosiers, and it should be a simple matter to confirm or deny the validity of these statements."

"Hmm... I don't know why we should involve the Fairy Godmother in these proceedings..." Adam mused.

"I trust Aurora Rosiers' judgment of course, but I suspect she may be under a spell that prevents her from speaking the truth about this matter. I merely wish Fairy Godmother to cast a truth spell that is strong enough to override any lies Maleficent may have planted." Mal explained clearly and calmly. She had no belief that Maleficent had done any such thing, but it was probably the only way to get King Adam to agree to make FG cast a truth spell. Mal refused to let Aurora lie her way out of this.

"Well, when you put it that way, I see the merit in the proposal." Adam nodded to himself. "We can't let any evil magic affect our judgement of the situation."

"This is ridiculous! I'm under no such spell," Aurora protested. "If I was, don't you think I'd know it?"

"Not necessarily," Jasmine added softly. "Wouldn't you rather be sure, Aurora?"

"No! I'd rather not be put under another spell! Do any of _you_ recall being put to sleep for a hundred years!? I think not!" Rosiers exclaimed, and she wasn't really afraid of the magic, especially not Fairy Godmother's magic. She was afraid that the lies she'd told over the years would come back to haunt her. Mal glanced over at Elsa, who nodded imperceptibly.

"Actually, in the legends of my country, we have a story about a spell that makes people irrationally refuse assistance. Anytime someone tries to help them, the person refuses, and the spell perpetuates itself. This sort of thing is uncommon, but not unheard of." Elsa insisted. There was no such thing in Arendelle, but no one was here to dispute it. She had convinced Mal to go about this through the legal routes opposed to war and violence, and getting Aurora to confess was the first step.

"In that case, I must insist that we summon Madame Fairweather to cast the truth spell." Adam spoke, and his announcement was met with nods of assent from almost all of the surrounding parties.

Fairy Godmother was summoned, and informed of her job.

"In order to discover the truthfulness of Queen Morrigan's findings, it's imperative that we make sure Aurora isn't magically blocked from telling the truth." Adam explained, and Fairweather opened her mouth to say that she didn't need a truth spell to override a secrecy spell - she could just remove the block - but she felt the overpowering aura of a Fae Queen in the room. Mal Morgana was among them, and if she refused to cast the spell, Mal would just do it herself. Goodness knew she had the power to do so. Besides, Fairy Godmother had been wondering for _years_ what had actually happened that night on the moors. She wouldn't be opposed to getting some answers herself.

"Of course, your highness." The faerie bowed, and turned to Aurora, entreating her to remain calm as she cast the spell. When it had been cast, the scion of house Rosiers relaxed, and her face took on a calm and blank demeanor.

"Is your name Aurora Rosiers?" Mal asked, and the queen shook her head.

"No. I am Briar Rose."

So the woman still thought of herself by her Fae name, hm? Interesting.

"To the best of your knowledge, are you under the effects of any spell, enchantment, curse or blessing cast by a dark faerie?" Mal asked next, and the answer shocked the entire room, including her.

"Yes." Aurora replied, and Mal breathed in the shock and startled gasps from the crowd. "I am under the blessing of my fairy godmother, Maleficent, who granted me her protection and the abdication of her throne until such time as an heir was born."

"How curious!" Adam commented, before turning to Mal. "Is that true, or does she merely believe it is true?"

"It's true, your highness." Mal explained. "Under this type of spell, she cannot tell _any_ lies, even lies she believes to be true."

"So the mistress of all evil is her fairy godmother? Doubtful." Phillip smirked. "I don't trust this magic of yours."

"How _dare_ you treat my Fairy Godmother that way!" Cinderella shouted from the other end of the table. "She has never done _anything_ but good!"

"Can we please get this meeting back on track?" Mal interjected, and Adam banged the gavel.

"I quite agree. Quiet please!"

"Please tell this court who woke you from your magic slumber?" Mal asked next, and as Adam opened his mouth to say that this question was rather unnecessary, Aurora was already answering.

"Maleficent, with the kiss of true love between a mother and child." The woman explained, and another gasp went out through the room that made Mal want to roll her eyes. Honestly, they were so _dramatic_. Phillip looked pale as death and he was shaking with stress.

"Why did Maleficent wake you when she herself had cast the curse?"

"She broke her own curse because she cast it to spite my father, King Stefan, for cutting off her wings after taking her innocence one night when they were young. She awoke me, because she refused to punish me for my father's transgressions."

Mal couldn't even take a break to think about _that_ (the only night they shared was over forty years ago - Mal was _certain_ they hadn't slept together after that, and Stefan was killed on the night Aurora woke up. The time line didn't match up) because the people were already whispering amongst themselves, and she had to _finish this_ before the entire meeting devolved into chaos.

"She refused to punish you for your parents' mistakes, hmm?" Mal asked, anger tinting her voice in a way that she knew could be heard by the royals, but she _couldn't stop_. "Why did you shoot down _every_ _ **single**_ _proposal_ to bring over children from the Isle? Children who were _punished for their_ _ **parents' crimes?**_ "

"Mal was a threat to my kingdom. Maleficent's magic assured that I was her chosen heir until a new one was born." Aurora replied, still blank-faced and stoic. "If Mal had access to magic, the Fae army would go to her, instead of supporting me. My seat in the Moorlands was in danger."

"So you kept _children_ in a _prison_ _colony_ because you wanted to keep your jewels and your throne, and your _pretty little_ _ **kingdom**_ _!?_ " Mal snarled, and Adam saw fit to interrupt.

"Now, queen Morrigan, this is quite unnecessary. We all agree that queen Rosiers' motives we're impure, but has she done anything _illegal_?"

Oh gods. Oh _gods_ and _all that was_ _ **evil**_ , they were going to _let her go_ on a fucking _technicality_.

"Did you do anything illegal to maintain your throne?" Mal bit out.

"I pretended that my fairy godmother was evil, and had killed my father, when in reality, she had been defending herself. That is considered perjury in Auradonian court." Aurora replied. "I conspired to punish an innocent party for murder, when it was nothing of the sort. That is considered a non-felony conspiracy in Auradon court."

"Well, certainly none of those crimes warrant jail time. We all voted that keeping the children on the Isle was ethical, so she won't get in trouble on that account either..." Adam mused, trying to being his court back to order.

"Seriously? This is how you run your country?" Elsa murmured, outraged at the fact that Aurora was about to get off scot free for all her crimes and cover-ups. "You just _vote_ to decide what's right and wrong?"

"Aurora has the Right Of Conquest." Adam explained. "By triumphing over the Fae Queen, she had the right to do what she wanted with the kingdom."

Finally, Mal's magic burst free when she could no longer control her anger. Her disguise melted away, and as her hair caught fire (it wouldn't singe, despite the appearance of heat, because she was _Fae_ , and this was _dragon fire_ ) only one royal (Mulan) had the presence of mind to summon her guard.

"Oh, so Right Of Conquest is seen so _highly_ in this court?" Mal snarled. Of course it was. Half of these royals had achieved their fortunes on the backs of the villains they'd defeated. If they got rid of the Right Of Conquest, they'd loose their massive fortunes (most notably Cinderella, Snow White, and Aladdin, who'd inherited from their step parents and grand vizier respectively. Jafar's wealth had gone to the man who'd bested him ( _the sultan conviently ignored Jafar's wife and their legal heirs_ ), and it was the only reason he was allowed to marry Jasmine).

"If it means so _goddamn_ much to you, I invoke the Right Of Conquest _right now!_ " Mal snarled, and her army filtered into view from the shadows. Four of each division went to bar the doors against any reinforcements. "You are all now my hostages, and my word here is _law_."

She snapped her fingers, and Jay appeared at her side.

"Go and get me a reporter and camera. The one that will reach the most people if you can." Mal explained, before turning to the crowd. "Has anyone here summoned their guard?"

No answer.

"I only ask because my general here is known as the Ghost of Agrabah. He can kill twenty men in twenty seconds, and be out before anyone sees him." Mal smirked "I just didn't want anyone to get _slaughtered_ today."

Mulan briefly debated hitting the little green button next to the red one under the table. The red summoned a guard detatchment in case of emergencies. The last time it had happened was when Belle's father had a heart attack during a meeting and needed to be rushed to the hospital. If she pressed the green button, it would tell her guards it had been a false alarm. Would they believe it, or know she'd been captured? On the other hand, what if Mal was bluffing? She might send her man out there to be killed as soon as he stepped out of the door, and was only saying these things to trick them.

"No armies out there, waiting to get massacred?" Mal asked one last time, and Mulan was convinced she was bluffing, stalling for time. She did not press the button.

With a nod from Mal, Jay slipped into his djinn form, a cloud of red smoke, and slipped out the crack in the bottom of the door, just as Mulan's elite guard began to pound on the blocked entryway. Suddenly, the pounding went silent, and a pool of blood seeped into the room slowly. Everyone in the room looked terrified at that, but Mal noted Mulan looked particularly pale and sallow. It must have been _her_ guard.

While he was gone, Mal turned to the Fairy Godmother, and held out a hand.

"Wand. Now." She ordered.

"I- I- I-" Madame Fairweather stuttered so much she couldn't form words, and Mal just rolled her eyes.

"I'm not going to _keep_ it woman. Your wands are like our wings. It's a center of power, and I appreciate that. I just want to borrow it for a moment."

For a moment, the Fairy Godmother thought of just handing it over without a fuss and letting Mal suffer the consequences. But ethics won out, and she shook her head fiercely.

"I can't do that. You're unseelie. To touch a light artifact at your age could kill you." The woman explained with eyes shut, clearly expecting to be righteously smited.

"I'm under the impression that doesn't count for the Fae Queen and court." Mal noted, and Jane's mother opened her eyes cautiously.

"Then- then it's true? You're the new queen?" The faery asked, tenatively handing over her wand.

"You should have sensed it as soon as I arrived, Fairweather. You've been living among humans for too long." Mal commented, before she focused her magic, and removed the barrier.

Permanently.

Jay returned with a terrified reporter and camera man, stepping over bodies as he opened the door and ushered them inside. Mal turned to the two newcomers, and smiled gently.

"I won't hurt you. I need someone to document what takes place today. I'd like to show what happens live, as it occurs, so that no one can dispute what happened here in the days to come." Mal explained, and the reporter nodded. This was the break of a _lifetime_ for her. Nothing ever happened in Auradon, and this was the biggest news story in _decades_.

"Set up the camera to view the whole room, please. Can I borrow your microphone?" Mal asked next, and whispered into Jane's ear that he should make sure her army kept the hostages quiet while she made her address. The camera was rolling, and the reporter nodded to Mal, who took the microphone and held it to her lips.

"Greetings, Auradon. My name is Mal Morgana, and I'm the legal ruler of Avalon, a legitimate member of this Union. This morning, I took over the council, which is _surprisingly_ legal!" Mal smirked. In fact, I think I'll ask King Adam himself, just so he can assure you I'm on the level."

Adam was brought forth, and Mal reached out with her magic to pull him under a truth spell, but a milder one than Aurora was under. She didn't want him acting like a robot, after all.

"Tell me, King Adam; I siezed control of this courtroom by Right Of Conquest, which how _most_ of you rulers got your kingdoms. Is this legitimate?" Mal asked, and held out the microphone.

"Y-yes, I mean, any member of the union may overcome an enemy by force, and claim their possessions and land by default, but-"

"But I don't _want_ your possessions or land." Mal interupted. "I just want justice. I'm going to have a little trial, right here, on air before all of Auradon. I will _make you pay_ for your crimes against humanity. I wonder just how much your citizens know about your multiple felonies, high council?"

Mal laughed triumphantly as all Auradon and beyond watched her victory.

"Let the games begin."


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: When was Auradon founded? Given the advanced technology in the movie, I imagine the setting is only a few years past the modern day, a decade or two at most

Ben watched tv from a common room where the children of the high council waited for their parents. He'd actually been reading a book, but as soon as the regular broadcast was broken by the footage of Mal Morgana in front of the camera, every eye in the room stopped what they were doing and looked to the screen.

"Who the hell is _that_?" Chad Charming asked, and he was shushed by his sister, Cindy.

" _Let the games begin._ " Mal smirked, and Ben suppressed a shudder as his two worlds collided. The world with Mal, the woman he loved, and the world with his parents, who _Mal_ was putting in _very_ _real danger_.

"We can't just let that bitch do what she's doing, Ben!" Chad exclaimed, shaking his friend's shoulder. "I know she _says_ it's legal and all, but you saw your dad, he looked terrified! She's probably controlling them!"

"Would you two _shut it!?_ " Lonnie shouted from her position on the opposite sofa. "I want to hear what's happening!"

"What's _your_ problem?" Chad spat in return and Lonnie flipped him off vehemently.

"My _problem_ is that I'm trying to listen to what our _parents_ are doing, while you two _idiots_ keep whining!" Lonnie hissed, and Chad rolled his eyes.

Meanwhile, Mal turned to Jay, and pulled him out of earshot while the reporter repeated what was happening, for those who had just tuned in.

"Do you have the photos Evie and Carlos took?" Mal asked, referring of course, to the photographs they took of conditions on the Isle, and this was _after_ they started helping people. It was still pretty horrific.

"Jane has them." Jay explained, and gestured for her to join the group huddle.

"I have them right here, Mal, as well as my summary of prior court proceedings and the list of exemptions." Jane chirped with a smile, and her eyes glowed with a sort of wicked smirk that was usually reserved for Isle kids. Mal suspected she was eager to get her revenge on Audrey and Chad for their relentless teasing.

"Excellent. We're going to make sure every citizen of Auradon knows _why_ we're doing this." The Fae Queen explained. "Once the citizens and army realize we're in the right, they won't flock to whatever Descendant decides to fight back."

"You won't be locking up the Auradon brats?" Jay asked, feeling just a little disappointed.

"I don't want to bring myself to their level. I _won't_ punish children for what their parents did." Mal insisted. "Besides. Once we alienate their citizens and armies, there won't be any chance they'll beat us. Can you imagine Chad Charming wielding a sword and cutting down my elite guard? _Doubtful_."

That said, Mal turned back to the reporter, and motioned that she was ready to begin.

"And here she is, folks, the young woman who took control of the Auradon High Council in the space of minutes. I give you: Mal Morgana!" The reporter chirped, and Mal took the microphone.

"Thank you." She said to the reporter, and her next words were to the camera. "Many of you may be wondering what we need justice for? As far as you know, the rulers assembled here haven't committed any crimes. I'm here to prove that they have."

"In the year 2000, when Auradon was founded, one of the main draws of the nation was the creation of a prison colony for villains. They called it The Isle Of The Lost." Mal explained, and Jane held the photos before the camera, showing scenes of desolation, dilapidation and the desperate poor.

"There were no wardens here, and no separation between felonies, misdemeanors, and violent crimes. Murderers, pedophiles, and rapists were housed next to vagrants and thieves. That's not even the worst of it." The girl choked up a little, even though she didn't cry, she merely felt like her rage couldn't even be contained within her.

"The worst part? The lack of guards or law enforcement ensured that these criminals were allowed to do anything! They had children, and whored them out for _food_ , or beat them into servitude! And Auradon _did nothing!_ "

"Hey! We all paid an Isle tax for the upkeep and provision of _you people_!" Charming spat from the corner where he was being forcibly held, and Mal simply chuckled.

"The photos being shown right now tell a different story."

Once they'd cycled in front of the camera, the photos were shown to the royals, some of whom gasped in surprise.

"Elsa Arrenheim of Arendelle, due to your opposition to this horrible institution, you are exempt from the judgement of this court." Mal explained next, while the group was still reeling. "Rapunzel and Eugene Fitzherbert of Corona, for attempting to amend your King and Queen's crimes, you are also exempt."

The three royals came to stand with Mal and Jay, pointedly avoiding the glares of the other council members who clearly viewed them as traitors.

"My first issue is with Queen and King Charming of Charmington." Mal explained, and Jane showed the camera a news clipping, slowly panning down so that viewers could read it.

"Please explain to the viewers about your new policy on crime." Mal asked sweetly, and Charles Charming clammed up, refusing to speak until they held him at knifepoint.

"W-well, er, we began a project to tear down all prisons, and build schools on the properties." The king explained.

"Another type of prison. Gag." Jay commented quietly to Harry Hook, who shared his hatred of school.

"Uh-huh, yeah. And what _exactly_ , did you do with all the prisoners from the demolished prisons?" Mal prompted with a wicked smile.

"Well, we uh, we sent them to the Isle." The man explained, at least having the decency to look ashamed.

"Let the record show that a bill proposed by Charles _and_ Ella Charming sent criminals convicted of minor crimes to live in a small space with felons and murderers." The queen noted for the sake of the viewers, and Ella chose that moment to speak up.

" _Minor_ crimes? Those people were in prison for a reason!" The queen exclaimed, distraught.

"Ask your husband about that." Mal smirked. "Did you know, Cinderella, that vagrancy is still illegal in Charmington, and _theft_ can be punished by life imprisonment? Homeless people and poor people were a large number of the prisoners in those cells."

"What!?" Ella exclaimed, glaring at Charming. "Why didn't you _tell_ me!?"

"Because I knew you'd react like _this_!" Charles retorted, and Mal summoned two guards.

"Take them to the dungeon to await sentencing." The girl ordered, and Charles struggled vehemently.

"You can't do this to us! We have rights, you know!" The king shouted as he was manhandled.

"You're _lucky_ you're only staying there temporarily. _I_ lived in a cesspool for most of my childhood!" Mal quipped, and summoned forth the next set of royals, Mulan and Shang who had banished an entire ethnic group to a prison colony, where hundreds of them died. It was considered genocide by Mal and Shan Mei, who personally got to drag Mulan to the dungeons.

From the waiting room, Chad was so angry he punched the wall, and Lonnie looked on in shamed horror. She was terrified that her parents were being taken away, and ashamed of what they'd done. Audrey was sobbing her mascara off, and Snow White's daughters Willow and Blanche were clutching her arms and flanking her on both sides. On the other side of the room, Aziz was furiously pacing and his sister Fatima cried into her hijab (today wasn't a school day and she wore it whenever she could, outside classes).

On the screen, Aladdin and Jasmine were dragged forth, and accused of taking Jafar's ammassed fortune. Anything he left upon being sent to the Isle was taken away from the rightful heirs. Not just Jay, who was smuggled onto the Isle as a child, but his half-brothers and sisters from Jafar's first wife.

In their many moments of downtime in Auradon, Jay had told Mal about how he'd been smuggled onto the Isle to learn to steal for his father as a toddler, hidden in Jafar's luggage as he was shuffled onto the island. His mother had died in childbirth, he knew, but in Islamic countries, it wasn't uncommon for a wealthy man to have multiple wives. Jay had confided in Mal that he wondered about any relatives not sent to the Isle, so the girl had Jane look into it, not unlike how Evie helped track down Carlos' cousin Diego.

Apparently, Aziz and Fatima weren't aware that their father's fortune came at the expense of a widow and her three children. To Aladdin's credit, he hadn't known that he was taking from the rightful heirs (he'd assumed that Jafar was too evil to be married, and Mal had confirmed he was telling the truth with her magic). _Against_ Aladdin's credit, he'd never actually asked.

Another pair to be dragged to the dungeon.

It should be noted that these royals weren't strictly being taken away for the crimes Mal brought up. All who signed the accord to create the Isle would be suitably punished. She just wanted the Auradonian people to see exactly what they were all guilty of, what their 'beloved' rulers were hiding from them (some of them were actually less well-liked than they thought, but that's an observation for another time.)

By this time, Chad and Ben had left the room, and Lonnie cursed her distraction - she should have listened more closely to him. If the dumb blond was going off to try and storm the castle or something, he was going to get himself killed. And Li Lanying had no love for Chad Charming, but she didn't necessarily want the idiot to _die,_ or for naïve Ben to get dragged down with him. So she rose from the couch, and crept to the door, listening closely for Ben and Chad's voices. She didn't hear them directly outside, so she crept out, and pressed close to the wall as she listened, before picking out their low murmurs in an adjacent hallway.

"We have to _do_ something, Ben!" Chad whisper-yelled and it made Lonnie want to roll her eyes. Maybe _she'd_ be able to hold her own in a fight with one of the invaders, but Chad? His _only_ skill set applied on the tourney field. What did he expect to do?"

"Chad, how? We have no resources or training at our disposal!"

Thank _goodness_ that Ben was the voice of reason here. Lanying thought to herself as she listened in.

"We have our parents' armies!" Chad noted, as if he'd just thought of it.

"Um, I'm not sure they'll follow us. We're just kids, Chad." Ben explained, and the silent 'especially _your_ army' was left hanging on the end of his statement. After what had been revealed on live TV about Charmington's crime policy, Lonnie was convinced that no middle or lower class person would touch that kingdom's prince with a ten-foot-pole now.

"Well, what else can we _do!_?" Chad exclaimed, starting a minor panic attack.

"We have to wait and comply with their demands." Ben murmured as he tried in vain to calm his friend.

"No fucking way, man." Chad hissed, shoving past him as Lanying squeezed herself into an alcove to avoid being seen. "I can't just sit back and let my parents die!"

Lonnie felt kind of the same way. No matter what her parents had done, they were still _good parents_ , who loved her and her little brother and sister dearly. At the same time, she didn't know what to do to help, and the only thing she could think of was staying alive for her siblings, Mingzhu and Sheng.

Something about Ben was irritating her though. He seemed awfully calm for someone who just discovered his parents were being held hostage by a terrorist group. Lonnie wasn't quite ready to jump to the conclusion that Ben must have known beforehand. After all, that was ridiculous, right? After the two boys left, she followed them back to the waiting room.

"Where did _you_ go?" Audrey asked through her sniffles in the bitchiest of voices.

"Bathroom. Why do _you_ care?" Lanying retorted back, and Audrey broke into fresh sobs.

"My- my _parents_ are up next!" The girl cried into her hands, and still managed to look glamorous, even when her mascara was streaked and she had tears all over her. Lonnie nodded and mostly ignored her. She remembered how she felt not ten minutes earlier, when her own parents were brought before the camera and made to admit to all their worst crimes.

The daughter of Mulan didn't know or appreciate it, but Mal was at least careful enough to remove the truth spell before Aurora came on screen looking dead-eyed and stoic.

"Ah, now we come to my _personal_ favorites. Tell me, Aurora, what were the conditions of your taking my mother's throne?" Mal asked in a teasing voice that showed this was all for the benefit of the camera.

"I, I had to keep war from breaking out between humans and Fae," Briar Rose sniffed. "And... Relinquish the throne when a proper heir was found."

"For illegally keeping a foreign power's throne, and throwing an innocent woman in prison, you and Prince boy are hereby found guilty!" Mal exclaimed with a gleeful cackle.

"Wait, what!? I was just doing what Phillip told me to!" Aurora wailed.

"Oh seriously? You're gonna throw me under the bus for your own sake?" The king snorted, gearing up for his best foul impression of his wife's voice. "Whatever happened to 'we're doing this for _Audrey_?'"

" _Someone_ get them out of my court room." Mal rolled her eyes as two soldiers stepped forward to drag them away. The day continued in much the same way. Many of the accused had much more minor crimes. Tiana and Naveen were known for throwing lavish parties in their castle, but their country was experiencing a big boom in wealth anyway, so no one was going hungry for it, and all Mal could pin on them was paying the Isle tax to perpetuate the prison, and banishing their personal villain (and by extension, his daughter).

They had actually voted against most of the measures put in place on the Isle, but Mal couldn't afford to just let them go. Not when the Shadow Man had made a deal for their souls, and passed on his debts to his daughter, who had no say in the matter, lest her so-called-friends on the other side turned on her. It was a completely sick and wrong situation, entirely messed up, but there wasn't anything Mal could do about it. If she let them go, Freddie would just find another way to kill them, and then she'd _also_ have a pissed-off voodoo woman on her hands.

War was fucking _messy_.

She saved the best for last, Belle and Beast, and their trial lasted over two hours. Belle, whose biggest crime was the concept of the Isle, an idea that wasn't fully thought through, with no sustainable development or plan. Beast, who used something like half of the Isle tax for books in Dragon Hall (which the children never got to use), electricity that went out with every hard wind, and running water that was always cold. The rest of the money (the money that could be _accounted_ _for_ at least) went to purchasing food to supplement the leftovers that were sent to the Isle. That was the source of the canned goods they'd so often fought over in the days before the coup.

"What happened to the money that wasn't accounted for?" Mal asked, and King Adam flushed a little, glancing away.

"It went towards necessary things for the Isle like a few televisions and posters, books to encourage goodness." Adam explained, and Mal glared. That couldn't be the whole truth. Why wasn't it on record?

"Um... And we might have used some of the money to help send poorer Auradon kids, the children of sidekicks and whatnot to Auradon Prep." Belle added quietly. "We thought it the least we could do after their families were hurt by villains."

She at least had the decency to look ashamed, but Mal couldn't even bring herself to say anything. She was too angry.

"Take them away. Get them out of my sight, before I do something I'll regret." Mal murmured in a low voice, and two of her soldiers nearly tripped over each other to drag the high king and queen of Auradon to the dungeons. Finally, Mal turned to the camera.

"Children of the so-called heroes found guilty today: I won't persecute you for your parents' crimes like your parents did to me." She smirked then, and all the descendants' blood ran cold, both Auradon and Isle, if they watched. "However, there are descendants coming to Auradon. People who've lived their entire lives on the Isle and want what your parents stole from them. I will offer you protection if you come to my banner."

"This next message is for you, people of Auradon. I've heard about your troubles, and you've heard about what your so-called rulers have been getting up to behind your backs! Anyone who wants a change should make your way to the capital. If it isn't feasible to make your way here, work from home, and tell your friends and neighbors about me."

Mal grinned into the camera, bold and beautiful as her hair smouldered and her eyes glowed green.

"I'm Mal Morgana. I've spent my entire life making things better for people like you. It's time for a _revolution_."


	33. Chapter 33

"Push! Push!" Evie coaxed, as Ginny Gothel lay sweating on her bed in Dragon Hall, with a nest of old towels below her (What? And get blood on good bedsheets? Evie had scoffed.)

"I am pushing, you blue-haired bitch!" Ginny scowled, and while Evie might have normally taken offense, she could make allowances for this once. Ginny was cursing good, evil, and everything in between, so Evie didn't really take it personally as she coached the girl through her contractions and Antoine simultaneously squeezed her hand and tried not to look.

"I _**hate**_ you, Antoine Tremaine! I hate you with a _passion_!" Ginny snarled, gearing up for a particularly bad contraction. "I hate you for putting this _thing_ in me! You better _hope_ Evie knocks me out after this, 'cause if she _doesn't_ , I'm personally cutting your _balls_ off!"

"Now darling, isn't that a bit h-hasty?" The poor boy chimed in, and she literally growled at him as she squeezed his hand so hard he thought it would break.

"Nope! I might even _kill_ you! Because then, I'll still have Daria, and _she's_ not going to knock me up!"

"Not for want of trying..." Antoine groaned under his breath, and it made Evie snicker so hard she almost dropped the warm herbal compress she'd made for Ginny. The girl herself suddenly seemed appeased, wide-eyed and thoughtful in between contractions.

"You really think she'd _want_ a baby with me, if she could, I mean?" The girl asked, before her thoughts were taken away by the next muscle spasm that rippled through her abdomen.

"You have no idea, Gin. Absolutely no idea." Antoine cooed, turning on his trademark charm.

At that moment, a ripple went through the fabric of the Isle's magic, and every magical creature on the island felt it. Including, apparently, the baby, whose head crowned, and started to emerge.

"Oh wow! Was your father a wizard or warlock, Ginny?" Evie asked eagerly. "Your baby has a magical aura."

"Mom was a witch, actually." Ginny gasped out in between pushes. "Skipped me, not the kid apparently."

Carlos chose the moment to come running in frantically.

"Message! Uma!" He gasped out, before handing Evie a rolled note and collapsing on the couch in the trio's room (they didn't have to share, since no one wanted to room with the three who were constantly at it like rabbits).

Unrolling the letter, Evie found only a short sentence: 'Ships on horizon, Auradon colors.'

Judging from the time it would take to get a single pirate courier to Carlos, and Carlos to Dragon Hall, the blue-haired queen estimated it had been sent at around the same time the barrier fell.

"It must be the fleet. I bet they were under orders to come interfere as soon as the barrier fell." Evie noted, more to herself than Carlos.

"Mal made sure we were prepared for it." Carlos added. "If she had known, she would have told us."

"So she might have just suspected it." Evie finished his thought.

"Ugh. I suppose I should go deal with that, since you're... Occupied." Carlos murmured, pointedly trying not to look at Ginny.

"Damn straight, fur boy! Get _out_ , and let me give birth!" The girl nearly shouted, and threw a pillow at the young man on her couch.

"Sorry Carlos, but I've got to make you run again." Evie sympathetically explained.

"Aw man! Why me?"

"Because you're the fastest, Carlos." The queen rolled her eyes, as if talking to a child. "I need you to get... my mother."

"Oh geez, seriously? Will she even come with? She won't try to hex me or anything will she?" Carlos whispered, and Evie gritted her teeth.

"I don't _think_ so, especially if you explain why you're getting her."

"Okay...? And why _am_ I getting her?" Carlos prodded.

"You and I need to repel the invasion force. My mother is the only midwife whom I know. She's the only one who can come at such short notice." Evie explained with a deep frown.

"Why couldn't shit have waited until _tomorrow_ to hit the fan!?" Ginny whined pitifully, and Antoine delicately tried to pry her fingers off of his poor mangled hand.

"I wish Mal and Jay were still here." Carlos moaned, before wearily getting to his feet.

"Go get my mother, and come back. Then we'll go together to direct the troops Mal left us."

The army was pretty clearly divided down the middle. Mal didn't want to be unprotected in the capital, but she didn't want to leave the Isle undefended either, so she left behind an equal number of soldiers to protect it. Hence the extra fortifications. After terraforming the island and talking with Carlos, Evie directed her faerie contingent to building walls around the beach, not unlike the nigh-impenetrable barrier of thorns Maleficent made during her siege of Rose Keep. Mal could probably do that by herself, but a whole group of twenty or more fae working together could produce a very good copy that would work the same way.

When Carlos got back, Evie barely spared time to talk to her mother, even though they hadn't seen each other in months.

"Mother, please take good care of Ginny." Evie explained quickly. "We have a serious crisis to take care of."

To her surprise, her mother wrapped her in a warm hug. She looked better than she had in years, and smelled of potion ingredients.

"My dear, it's dangerous, isn't it?" She asked, and Evie cautiously nodded.

"Yes, mother. We have a fight on our hands." The girl explained without giving too much away.

"Well, I... I just want you to know..." The woman swallowed hard, before grimacing. "I don't agree with everything you do, but I'm _proud_ of you, darling."

"M-mama?" Evie stuttered out, near tears. She hadn't called her mother _mama_ since she was a toddler, and her use of it now showed just how confused she was.

"When you see Mal again, tell her I still want my mother-in-law wing." The Evil Queen smirked before patting her cheek, and walking past her.

"Why did she do that?" Evie muttered as she speed-walked away with Carlos.

"Ugh, I don't think she's confusing you on purpose." The scion of house DeVil explained. "I think she was just trying to get that off her chest before you went off into danger, E."

"How am I supposed to fight with my mascara running?" Evie murmured, trying to stop her confused tears by squinting and keeping her eyes turned up.

"It's like war paint. You'll look awesome." Carlos laughed, elbowing Evie playfully.

"Only if you wear some too. Then we can be gross and unfashionable together." The girl insisted.

"Ugh, fine. I never thought I'd say this, but... Mascara me." Carlos conceded, and Evie rolled her eyes.

"Later. Right now, we've got to get to the fortifications and meet with everyone." The girl explained, and picked up the pace.

Unfortunately, Evie never got around to fixing her mascara and applying it to Carlos. The boats were on the horizon by the time they arrived, and Evie just had enough time to wipe down her cheeks before facing her soldiers.

"Ready trebuchet one with a boulder. Aim for a warning shot." Carlos commanded, and one of the soldiers saluted before loading the machine and setting it off.

"What's the reply, Evie?" Carlos asked, looking to the girl from her vantage point on a high tower with a spy glass.

"No sign of stopping, Carlos!" She called back.

"Alright then, next shot, this time with fire shot!" Carlos ordered, and Evie used a Polaroid camera to take a photo of the distance, which she gave to DeVil to calculate the distance. From that, he extrapolated the right angle for the trebuchet, and a witch used magic to set fire to one of the 'fireballs' which was made from a boulder wrapped in flammable material, and kept burning through magic.

"Direct hit to the first ship's main mast!" Evie shouted, before adding: "Remains to be seen if the ship catches fire."

"Got it, E!" Carlos replied, and ordered his soldiers to prepare for another attack. He didn't plan to stop until the fleet turned back, or sank to the bottom of the ocean. This time, he aimed for the second ship, and got another hit, just as they fired a shot of their own at the Isle. It hit the tower Evie was standing on, and while they'd made the walls to withstand somewhat of the cannon fire, the tower was not so lucky, and Evie had to leap out as it crumbled around her.

"Are you okay, E?" Carlos asked, helping Evie as she clambered down and clung to him to regain her balance.

"Yeah, we just need to figure out a way to get a better view of the ships." The girl explained.

"Pardon, consort Evie, but I have a suggestion." Flitter, the chief engineer of the wall and terraforming efforts flew over.

"By all means, suggest away!" The blueberry queen replied with a smile.

"I can create a window in the thorns that will easily close when you're done with it." The faerie explained, and led she and Carlos to the wall, opening it for them to see. The first ship seemed to have caught fire, but the second was still afloat, and all flames seemed to have been put out.

The firefight continued for a good hour afterwards, and so far, neither side suffered any casualties. The crew of the first ship ended up bailing in lifeboats, and Evie brought up the chance of hitting them with boulders to send them down, but they decided against it. It would send a strong message to Auradon, but perhaps too _cruel_ a message. Mal and the main four always thought that way, in terms of weighing benefits over risks and measuring the lives of the enemy as a blessing or obstacle. It might not be _good_ , but it was _practical,_ and better than they were raised with. Maleficent would have sunk them.

"Another hit!" Evie called out, and Carlos ran over to see as a shockwave rattled the walls. A cannonball finally pushed through a weakness in the thorns from prior strikes, and dented a building on the opposite side. Ecie whistled in appreciation as Flitter and his team ran over to repair it.

"I see what you mean." Carlos teased.

"Not _that_ hit, silly. We got the third ship, finally. I can see the second taking on water too." The girl explained and passed him the spyglass.

"Ah, yes. We have quite the advantage here, don't we?" Carlos smirked. "Constantly regenerating walls and no flammable wood to sink."

"It's all thanks to your trebuchets that we were able to keep up the battle." Evie conceded. "No matter how fast we could regenerate the thorn barrier, they would overtake us in time."

"We make a good team, huh?" Carlos grinned, and recalled fondly the first time he'd seen Evie and Mal, swooping in to rescue him like avenging angels. Evie, who smiled at him, and made him feel, for the first time, like he had a family.

He wanted to be with Mal, Evie, and Jay for the rest of his life.

The next shot was fired, and Carlos gave a little whoop of joy as the third ship started gaining water, and they were forced to unload the lifeboats.

"We did it, E! We drove them off!" He exclaimed, grinning wildly as he seemed practically glowing in a way that attested to his demi-god heritage.

"I'm so proud of everyone!" Evie smiled warmly, grinning despite herself. "There'll be more."

"We'll be ready." Carlos answered, and they found Uma, was promptly put in control of patrolling the walls by day and night, to keep watch for any new ships on the horizon.

"Let me explain it to you," Evie purred. "If any ship gets through unseen, it'll be your neck first on the chopping block."

Threats always seemed to placate Uma in a way that negotiation didn't, so Evie and Carlos had complete faith that she'd do what was necessary to keep a decent watch over the isle that was her home as much as theirs.

Once the battle was finally over, and all business attended to, Evie finally got back to Dragon Hall, and was greeted to the cheering sight of Ginny, breastfeeding a beautiful baby girl, who had Antoine's chestnut hair and Ginny's grey-green eyes.

"We called her Anne-Marie, after my baby sister." Antoine explained with a crack in his voice. The loss from disease was still fresh in everyone's mind.

"A lovely name." Evie agreed. "All went well?"

"Perfectly fine, darling." The Evil Queen spoke up, and Evie hadn't even noticed her, thought she would have gone home by now.

"Mother, what are you doing here?"

"Why, you called me yourself, dear!" The woman smirked. "I'm here because you summoned me."

"No, I mean, why haven't you gone home already?" Evie clarified.

"I wanted to see you, darling. I've missed you, and, well... I wanted to make sure you came back." The woman explained, tucking a strand of hair behind her daughter's ear, and adjusting her dress. Pointedly, there was no comment about her lack of makeup, or disheveled apprearance, like there had been throughout her childhood, and this was different from Evie's wedding, when Mal glared her best friend's mother into submission. Tonight, Grimhilde was doing this entirely of her own accord, and Evie was more confused than ever.

"I'm not used to this from you," Shr murmured, directing her mother into the hallway and away from the prying eyes of Tremaine and Ginny. If she was going to cry again, it wouldn't be in front of those two.

"Am I not allowed to care for my daughter?"

"You didn't care throughout my childhood, why should you start now?" Evie retorted with a hard glare.

"Oh, my dear poison apple... I've always cared about you. All my lectures and weighings and hours of practice was all for you. I never said you were good enough because I wanted you to keep trying."

"Well, _thanks_ mother. Now I'm an obsessive perfectionist who almost didn't marry the love of my life because she wasn't a _prince_." Evie spat, walking faster down the hallway, fueled by her anger.

"I want to make up for that. Let me make it up to you, Genevieve." The woman replied, no sharp words or damaging glances, only soft lines and concern.

"What made things different?" Evie asked, just barely beginning to think about what her mother was saying.

"Among the four of us," Jafar, The Evil Queen, Cruella and Maleficent, she meant. "It was common knowledge that Mal's mother was cruel to her daughter to make her stronger and more evil. Jafar used to laugh at her for that, until he got kicked by her steel-toed boot, that is."

"And?"

"And I did the same thing with you, even though we didn't coordinate it or anything. I was never _cruel_ to you as a child, but I never let you rest until everything was perfect." The woman explained, and Evie tapped her foot impatiently.

"I ask again: what changed?"

"Maleficent was killed for what she did to her daughter. I could never imagine a world where you hated me enough to take my life, but when I got your wedding invitation, it seems so long ago now. It read like you really did despise me, and it took me a long time to come up with how to make it up to you."

"Well, it's going to take a long time for me to trust you again, mother." Evie murmured, digesting this new and intriguing information.

"I have much patience, and a long time to wait, my dear. A long time indeed."


	34. Chapter 34

"I can't stay here, Ben." Chad had whispered after the broadcast was over, and the talking heads were back, chatting about the latest development.

"What are you planning to do?" Ben asked, and was distracted from the answer by a courier, who approached him warily, as if there were assassins around every corner.

"Your highness, I have news. It would have gone to your parents, but..."

"But they are indisposed at the moment. I understand." Ben replied solemnly.

"As you know, your father arranged for three ships to head for the Isle as soon as the barrier dropped, to prevent future catastrophe such as the one we suffered last month." The courier explained, referring, of course, to the first time the barrier fell, and scared them all into doing something.

"Right. And?" He hoped they hadn't gotten to poor Evie and Carlos, alone on the island with no defenses. His stomach dropped with the thought of it. Surely they'd be kept alive as bargaining chips in the negotiations with Mal?

"And, well... This is hard to say _out_ _loud_ , milord, but all three ships are sunk. The crew barely made it back with their lifeboats." The courier explained, embarrassed, as if the sinking of the ships was his fault, personally.

"Oh goodness. I see then. Um... Did my father say anything about what to do after that attack?" Ben asked in his most authoritative voice, to hide how he unprepared he felt. How unworthy to stand in the place his father stood.

"No, sire."

"Well then..." Ben thought for a moment, biting his cheek in concentration, before nodding to himself. "Alright. Can you get a message to the troops? Tell them to stand down, and not cause any trouble with fhe new rulers?"

"Not cause any trouble!? Ben, she locked up our parents!" Chad exclaimed from the background, making Ben remember he was actually still there.

"Chad, if you recall, your _own_ _mother_ won her fortune through right of conquest when she usurped House Tremaine. It's not just legal, it's _necessary_ , and if Mal Morgana uses the law for her benefit, we'll have to fight her through the channels of the law."

"Okay...? And, how do we do that?" Chad asked with that vacant expression he usually wore, the one that Ben often wanted to smack off of him.

"Fight fire with fire, Chad." Ben explained, and the vacant look remained firmly in place.

"But if we did that... Wouldn't the fire just get stronger? You should fight fire with water. Or maybe dirt."

"We won't be using literal fire, you doofus. We'll be using right of conquest, just like _she_ did." Ben explained, and enjoyed watching the light in Chad's eyes as it clicked.

"Oh, right! We just have to assemble an army and return with our pikes out and swords swinging!" Chad exclaimed. "Let's go!"

"Not _us_ Chad, _you_. I have to stay behind and deal with what my father did while he's gone." Ben explained.

"Aw! Wouldn't be a road-trip without my best bud, but I guess I still see the logic." Chad sighed. "I'll be back, Ben. I'll be back soon, and I'll bring you an army!"

That had been a full week ago, and through texts and phone calls, Ben got the impression that Chad wasn't having much luck, which was about what he'd expected. He had suggested the idea as a way to get his friend out of trouble and away from the capital while he was planning his next move. He couldn't visit his parents (the guards at the dungeons wouldn't let him in), and the next option was to speak with Mal, who would know what was going on, at least.

He made an appointment through Jane, and Mal agreed to meet with him, deciding on a walk through the park for the venue of their discussion. On that day, the roses were in full bloom, and all colors. Because of the well-kept palace bees, there was a lot of cross-polination (on purpose of course), so white roses had splashes of red, like the painted blooms in Alice's memoir, and yellow roses had streaks of pink. Red roses were slowly becoming purple roses, and were Mal's favorites.

"What did you want to talk to me about, Ben?" The woman asked sweetly, almost making Ben forget about his inner conflict, the thoughts that felt like they'd rip his chest apart if he focused on them for too long.

_Who do I choose? Mal or my father? The woman I love (who may be using me), the man who raised me (whom I will never live up to)?_

The thoughts chased each other around in his head, one leading to another, again, and again, until he wanted to hurl, like spinning too fast on a playground carousel.

"What is going to happen to my parents?" Ben asked, nearly choking on the words. He felt hot and cold at the same time, pale and flushed.

"What do you _want_ to happen to them, Ben?" Mal asked, and it was the prettiest sound in the world. She said his name like it meant benevolence and benefit, and all the good things b-e-n could become.

"I- I want..." And he didn't know what he wanted. Mal could make it so that his father never looked at him with disapproval again (he knew how she'd cowed the Evil Queen). And she could also kill them. And she could free them, and he could introduce her to them, right? This could all still be okay.

"I want you to let them go." Ben finally replied. Mal's back was turned to him, but he could tell by the stiffness in her shoulders that she wasn't pleased. Finally, she turned to face him, and the look she gave Ben made his heart stop, and rise in his throat, made him feel like the colour green and the scent of old copper.

"No, Ben darling." Her voice explained, like ringing bells. "I think _you_ need to let them go."

All the disappointment washed away and his heart beat again, as he realized she was angry at his parents, and not at him.

"I love you." He whispered. "You know that, don't you?"

(A smile that Ben, with his rose-tinted, lovesick eyes couldn't tell was too hollow, too brittle to be genuine.)

"I know." Mal smiled. _I_ _ **know**_ _because I made the strongest love spell in history and wove it into your soul. I used the tears of_ _ **my**_ _true love to ensnare you._

"Chad is gathering an army." He blurted, unable to keep his thoughts straight around her. It was like the time Aziz offered him pot ('It's for finals, man. Take a chill.') and everything seemed amusing and scary at once.

"And how is that working out for him?" She giggled.

"About as well as you'd think." Ben replied.

"Yes, indeed." Mal purred, pressing a light kiss to Ben's forehead. "Everything is turning out _exactly_ as I thought."

Things were easier when he wasn't in such close contact with Mal. He could think clearer, he wasn't so distracted by her beauty. As soon as he left Mal, Li Lanying fell to her knees before the new queen and begged her family to be spared. Not her parents of course, who'd already been hauled away, but her little brother and sister, who were both five. Mal simply smiled graciously at her, and said,

"You're already on the safe list." With a knowing smile.

"Me? Why? What did I ever do to deserve your notice?" Lonnie had asked, and the new High Queen gave her a wink.

"You were Jane's only friend, Lanying, and I value the friends of my followers. You came to talk with me over tea, and confided your fears and innocence." Mal grinned in a true smile, the welcoming of a new follower into her fold. "Rise, Li Lanying, and take your place in the new world order."

"What _is_ my place, Queen?" The girl asked, and Mal got a far-off look in her eye.

"Whatever you want. This is a new world. You can be anything you want to be."

And she spoke to Li Lonnie, but looked into Ben's soul.

The next day after his talk with Mal, the first from the Isle came over. Evie with her mother and entourage, Mal's goblins and servants, and all who were employed by House Morgana. The girls met in the courtyard and kissed with the passion of lovers who'd been separated for too, too long ( _she's never kissed_ _ **you**_ _like that_ , a little voice in Ben's mind taunted him). And the sickness rolled around in his stomach ( _she loves you, she loves you_ _ **not**_ ). They kissed like _soulmates_.

Carlos would come the next day, with the rest of the army and all the retainers of House DeVil. Any people left on the Isle were not a member of the court, and Mal didn't care about them. They could stay there and rot, or leave and find a better life. She had cared for her own, and that was the best Mal had ever had to offer. Carlos and Jay were locked in an embrace like they'd been apart for years instead of weeks, and Carlos whispered something into the older boy's ear with a wicked smile that made Jay match his smirk with a smouldering kiss.

( _"You're mine, Jahid Jafarson. Mine, mine, mine."_ He'd whispered. _"Yours, always, forever."_ Jay had murmured after the kiss, against Carlos' neck with a frantic kind of love that can only be known by those who've been parted.)

The new arrivals were swiftly integrated into castle life, and Grimhilde finally got her mother-in-law wing where she lived in comfort, and Evie never had to see her unless she wanted to. Mal's servants began working with the Auradon servants, and Mal began making arrangements for a grand coronation, all while she dug through page after page of legislation, cutting spending and raising the budget for helping those who needed it most. She and Evie and Jay and Carlos talked about what any ruler most needed, and they chatted about it long into the morning, because they were young, and they had everything they ever wanted (a safe home, hot cocoa by the fire, cuddling next to one's true love), not knowing they would lay the groundwork for a future meritocracy.

(They were still just teenagers, save Jay who was on the cusp of twenty.)

Messages from Chad kept coming, even when Ben wanted to crush his phone with beastly strength, and the thought of choosing between his best friend and his (unrequited?) love made him so sick with nerves he could barely keep down food.

"My family's own personal bodyguard told me the only reason he signed up was because his brother was sent to the Isle, and he needed a guard's salary to feed his sister-in-law and kids! Can you believe it?" Chad had asked, and Ben typed back,

"No way," Even though he could believe exactly what Chad was going through. On one tour of the gardens, a peasant had actually thrown a tomato at him! Him, prince _Ben_ , the only one of the old royals who ever tried to _do_ something!

But when he thought about it, what did he actually do but fall in love with Mal? He brought her gifts and resources (because he loved her) and helped her get into the council (because he loved her). Did he ever do _anything_ that was good for the people, for any reason other than obligation or his blind and rosy love? The answer scared him, and it was the very reason Ben would never get out of his father's shadow. Not until he did something incredible to mark him down as a true hero.

"Thee truth is," Chad had written, "I'm going to have to go this alone."

"What do you mean?" Ben asked.

"I've got no one. The only one who'd even sell me supplies was a mercenary who might actually be from the Isle in the first place."

"What supplies did you need, Chad?" Ben asked, sort of impressed that _Chad_ of all people had come up with a plan.

"Crossbow with iron tipped bolts."

Iron.

The only thing that could harm a Fae.

Mal hadn't told him if it could kill or not, but she didn't have to. She shied away from the stuff and everyone knew that iron kept away witches and Fae.

"When is the next time she'll be in public?" Chad asked, and Ben knew. He knew, but could he tell his friend, who planned to kill her? Once the awful deed was done, Ben thought he might put the next bolt through his own heart, and burn the beast (a fae curse) out of his bloodline forever.

"The coronation." He didn't need to say what day it was. There'd been ads on the television for days now. Chad would know, and he'd be in the audience with the only thing that could stop her now.


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Contains: Major character death. Not one of the Isle kids but major and somewhat descriptive nonetheless.

When the day came, it was attended by thousands. All those from the Isle were there, and Mal was beginning to retrain the Auradon soldiers like her own army, so it was getting harder and harder to tell them apart. She'd kept her promise to the dwarves, and paid them fairly for a new scepter. Doug had provided the other three crowns he'd crafted, and they would be used for the ceremony. Anyone was allowed inside the great hall on a first-come first-serve basis until the place was filled, and thousands more watched from their televisions at home.

Evie was dressed in a gorgeous indigo dress, all chiffon and lace, and it clung to her curves, accentuating the beauty that everyone who knew her could see, inside and out. Mal was wearing a warrior's dress with leggings underneath, that looked more like a frilled jacket sometimes than a dress. It was high-collared, but sleeveless, with ribbons that wrapped around her arms instead, like galdiator sandals. This dress was as violet as her hair, and wrapped about with the briar motif, her family's ancient symbol.

Jay wore the traditional robes of his father's country, in blood red tones with golden threads woven throughout like the magic manacles burned onto his wrists. It was all flowing fabrics that made him seem like he was made of the red smoke of his djinn form, and his hair was braided down his back, and interwoven with golden rings and coin-shaped charms. It was sleeveless, to better show off his belovedly inked arms. Carlos wore a tuxedo that fit him like a glove, black jacket with a dark red tie, and a white button-up underneath. Shorts, of course, but his boots were so high that you could only occasionally catch a glimpse of knee. A dalmation-head tie pin.

Mal had kept her promise to the Dwarves (through proxy of Ben), and commissioned a silver scepter. She remembered what Diaval had said about the fact that seelie faeries had wands and unseelie had wings to channel magic, but those who had neither (like Mal, like _Maleficent_ ), used a staff or a scepter. Her mother's staff had been black alder, a wood that lent itself to Fae magic and justice, and was not inclined to helping humans. Maybe one day, she'd make a wooden staff, but for now, she had a scepter of silver, and the top was shaped like a crescent-moon. When she'd asked the original seven dwarves to include powerful lunar runes, they looked at her like she'd grown another head.

Runic craft, for which dwarves were well known, had been outlawed for decades. They were all quite eager to start work on it.

They all stood at the podium on that grand coronation day, and Doug presented them with their new crowns, all on velvet cushions. When they'd seen them a week before, Mal was touched to know that Ben had ordered one for each of them based on their own tastes, and Doug was immediately appointed to be the court jeweler. No one in Auradon save the Whites had had a dwarven smith in their employ for years, and Evie was _so_ ready to gloat about that to her _dear_ step-sister in the dungeons as she awaited trial (after the coronation, Mal intended to let the other descendants go first, and save the best four for last.)

Mal's crown has already been described, but it was still as beautiful as the day she first got it, as radiant as the queen who wore it. Evie's was a glorious golden affair with a huge blue diamond in the center, and smaller blue and white gems speckled along the sides like radiating stardust. It was feminine and thin in design like a diadem, with three points tapering down onto the sturdy base. Jay got a simple crown of burnished gold, with points that were all the same size, and two fire rubies that glowed like the gems of Jafar's staff. Carlos' crown was the most like King Adam's old crown, but silver instead of gold. It was lined with black and white fur (not actual dalmation fur but _still_ ), and had a round beret-like extension on top made of crushed red velvet.

They were crowned with pomp and glory, and the world stood still for one young man in the entourage. Like Jane and Lonnie, and Doug, Ben was allowed to stand very close to the podium, but while Jane looked pleased and Lonnie looked bored, Ben felt like he looked so _wrong_ he was amazed no one noticed. Of course he didn't _really_ look any different, aside from a sallowness and ringed eyes that was due to lack of sleep and stress combined.

Chad was in the audience, with dyed-brown hair and sunglasses to hide himself. It occurred to Ben that Mal had never actually seen him before, wouldn't even know what to look for if he reached out to her and shouted "Assassin!" And God above, all that was good, he wanted so _badly_ to tell her, to get down on his knees and beg her forgiveness for not doing his best to keep her safe. But this was his penance. For once in his life, he would do something selfless, and sacrifice the one girl he'd ever truly loved for the sake of his people.

There was so much Ben didn't know. He genuinely thought that Mal was a girl of the Isle _more_ than she was a High Queen, and had convinced himself that she would destroy all he had ever known. In another life, he might have been okay with that, would have given it up for her, but in this universe, Ben couldn't do it. He couldn't have known about the tarot reading that Evie had done while still Isle-bound. He couldn't have known that while a sacrifice was needed, Mal wasn't that sacrifice.

Sacrifice and penance, was always, _always_ The Hanged Man.

"I'd like to usher in a new age of plenty-" Mal was saying, and Ben didn't hear a word of it. He was fixated on Chad, who was fiddling with something in his seat. No one noticed. Why did no one reach out, and scream "Assassin!"?

"Where we will all be judged by our _actions_ , and not by our race, culture, or the color of our skin!" The violet woman exclaimed proudly, met with a cheer by the crowd, and was that truly evil? For magic to be free? The thoughts were chasing circles again in Ben's thoughts, and it all happened so _fast_ , but his blood and bone, and Mal's magic happened faster.

In the days to come, none of the bystanders could explain what happened, and only the eight atop the podium could really tell you how it went.

It happened like this.

First, Chad Charming stood from his seat, and aimed an iron crossbow at Mal, who saw him, and her eyes glowed green.

Ben couldn't decide, couldn't _decide,_ and in the split second he had before Chad pulled the trigger, he let the magic decide for him. The love spell that had controlled his emotions so strongly for the past two years told him to _protect her (protect your true love, it screamed)_ , so he did.

And when the bolt shot through his chest, the blood splattered across Mal's violet dress like an inkblot that meant something to someone, somewhere. But to her, it only meant that Ben was _dead_ , _**dead**_ , and he wouldn't have done it if he wasn't in love.

"Seize him!" Carlos shouted, taking charge (he was the best at hiding his emotions, compartmentalizing and ignoring what was inconvenient.)

"Oh Ben, oh Ben..." Mal whispered, crying genuine tears (her mother had told her he'd break her heart) over the blue and gold suit that was turning just as violet as the dress she wore.

"I told him where to be." Ben whispered. "I betrayed you." He cried, seeming like it hurt him more than Mal.

"You were under a _love spell_ , Ben." Mal cried. "You wouldn't have stepped in front of that shot for me if you weren't."

"I'd do it again." Ben choked, swallowing hard, despite the pain. "I'd always save you."

"But you've been fighting the magic, haven't you?" Mal pressured, suddenly noting the signs of lovesickness. He had seemed off for the past week, hadn't he? Ever since Mal took over, he was struggling with his feelings for her and what he felt to be right.

"You didn't _want_ to help me, but you _did_ , because of the magic. That's why you told Chad I'd be unprotected- oh, gods above, _Ben_..."

"There is no magic." Ben whispered, voice hoarse and on the verge of cracking. "Doug doused me with enchanted lake water."

"You stupid boy." Mal hissed, running her hands a bit less tenderly through his hair. "What is fucking _lake water_ to the greatest love spell ever woven? You know that nothing, _nothing_ , breaks true love."

"T-true...?" Ben stuttered out, and Mal took a deep breath, holding back the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks and onto Ben's body.

" _Evie_ , you stupid boy. I used _my_ true love's tears to ensnare you." Mal murmured, low and angry, and she wished she had _time_ to make the antidote, to see what his real and true feelings were, but time was the one that thing Mal didn't have.

When she rose to her feet from Ben's body, Chad Charming was brought before her, and forced onto his knees.

"He- he's dead," Chad whispered, eyes wide. "He jumped in front of the bolt... Why?"

"You're damn _right_ , he's dead!" Mal screamed, hair beginning to smoulder and eyes glowing green. She backhanded Chad across the face. "And _you_ killed him."

"Why couldn't you have just faded into the background? Why did you need to be a hero?" Mal wracked her brain for his identity, and came up with a single name. Ben had blurted out that he'd had no success building an army.

"Chad Charming, you are hereby found guilty of murder, attempted murder, and high treason!" Mal shouted, and the two guards who'd detained Chad, led him off to the dungeons, too shocked to fight back.

When he was gone, Mal allowed herself to cry. Heavy ugly sobs, and shuddering shoulders. Evie held her close, and the Auradon friends gathered round, the only ones who'd heard Ben's last words.

"I never meant to hurt him." Mal sobbed, hitching breath and burning throat and running mascara.

"I know you _said_ that lake water wouldn't do anything, but it's kind of _known_ for breaking powerful love spells." Doug interjected. "I wouldn't blame yourself if I were you. If he still loved you after the dunking he got, it wasn't _your_ doing."

Doug had at first been going along as a means to survive, but he'd worked closely with Mal on some of the new laws, and he was starting to like her a lot. He didn't think she was capable of hurting someone like Ben. He hadn't known her his whole life like Evie, Carlos, and Jay, who offered no platitudes and no excuses. Only comfort and sympathy. They'd all seen it too, lack of sleep, pale complexion and sweaty brow.

"Symptoms of lovesickness need not come from fighting a love spell." Jane chimed in, as always, knowing what her queen was thinking. "It could also come from knowing that your love was unrequited."

"Oh gods, like when I came back from the Isle and we kissed." Evie whispered.

In the end, no one could say whether Ben was under a love spell or not, and whether or not he might have jumped in front of that bolt anyway, even if he _wasn't_.

But Mal knew the truth.

No enchanted lake water could break true love, and she'd woven her true love's tears into that spell. She considered Ben's death as much on _her_ hands as Chad's, and out of all the people Mal had killed, this was the only one she regretted.

Life went on. Mal keenly remembered her mother's admonishion about loving a betraying human, and how it could ruin all her plans if she let it. So she didn't think too much about it if she didn't have to, and the people were assured that Ben would get a hero's funeral as soon as the sentencing of the original heroes was over (she didn't want to put it off any longer, so Evie cast a spell to preserve the body until they could get around to it.) Mal planned to let every single descendant in her power take their revenge, if they wanted it.

The first were Cora and Hart, who gleefully announced 'Off with her head!' before taking back their family's crown from the usurper Alice.

Next came Freddie Facilier, who walked into the room with a wicked grin, and said "Hello frog boy, frog _bride_. I think you owe me a little something." Before she slit Tiana's throat with a simple motion, and collected the blood in a long vial, soon doing the same to Naveen. The new Shadow Woman had no use for a kingdom, and Mal had vetted Tiana and Naveen's children for the throne _one day._ (They had a lot of catching up to do after the shoddy education at Auradon Prep, and Mal refused to let _anyone_ rule who didn't know what they were doing.)

Then came Harriet, C.J. and Harry, the children of Captain Hook, who looked down upon Peter Pan and Wendy with scorn (they'd never had children, so there were no descendants to sort out).

"You drove our father _mad_." Harriet hissed, and Peter whimpered, cowering down against his wife, and whispering in reply that he thought it was just a game! He was a child, and thought it was all a game!

"You believe that, mate, an' you're madder than I am." Harry chuckled, and taunted Pan by running the blunt end of a hook along his face while his sisters killed Wendy.

"Mm, I do love some good _bloodshed_ in the morning." The boy whispered, before Peter Pan followed his beloved into the afterlife.

Antoine and Daria came next, Ginny and Dizzy tagging along with them (little Anne-Marie was being cared for by the new nannie, which they now had the luxury to afford).

"Hello, dear step-uncle." Antoine purred, pulling a silken rope from his back pocket.

"Yes, hello indeed, aunty Cindy." Daria grinned wolfishly, pulling her own rope from a purse.

"I heard you were found guilty of murder," Dizzy told a shell-shocked Chad, carrying of all things, a pillow.

"I believe some payback is in order for stealing our family's wealth and estate, dear aunt Cindy, uncle Charles." Antoine smirked, and he and Daria said no more as they strangled their step-aunt and uncle into silence while Dizzy asphyxiated Chad with the pillow until he stopped kicking. The youngest child, Cindy, had never wanted to be ruler of Charmington, which was just as well because Antoine and Daria _did_. Mal sent her off with a scholarship to a college of her choice on the condition that she relinquish the ruling seat to the Tremaine family. She even got to keep the spring mansion (one of four - the Charmings owned _four separate estates_ ) for her own.

Soon came Shan Mei's turn, and Mulan and Shang were killed with quickly slit throats. Mei wasn't the type to gloat. She had a problem with letting Lonnie live, but that's a story for another time.

Uma was the next, and she stood proudly before Ariel and Eric, and with a low voice that was scarier than a shout, she whispered; "My mother was the first born, and she _deserved_ that trident."

Then she cast a spell, and sealed their life force into a shell, just like Ariel's voice so long ago. They fell back, dead, empty husks, and Uma smirked triumphantly, with Gil and Harry on either side of her, looking every inch the queen she was.

Gil himself, had the next execution. He stood before Belle and King Adam, with all of his brothers (and one sister), and they each stabbed the Beast and his wife at least once with swords (there were so many of them, it was hard to fairly split the kill between them.)

Then came all the minor characters, the villains and heroes that played little role in this story like Clay Clayton and his vendetta against Tarzan, or Michael Medusa and Penny, whom he cared little about. Claudine Frollo, who was sweet as could be and had no desire to exact revenge on Phoebus (and Quasimodo, who _did)._

Life went on after death, as life always does.


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P.S: All questions, comments and concerns after the epilogue will be promptly addressed, as I am an attention whore who loves to talk about the story. PM me or leave a comment and I'll get back to you.

Carlos never wanted revenge on Roger and Anita, who'd petitioned to have him taken from the Isle as a baby. He'd also met with them for breakfast, and found that despite their overwhelming love for dogs, they were rather nice people, and he offered them jobs in the capital, which they refused politely, to stay in their darling cottage in the countryside of Charmington. That cottage to which Carlos and all his family had an open invitation.

"You have to understand, Carlos dear. We never wanted to send your mother to that awful place. She was a very ill woman who needed to be in a hospital, not a prison." Anita murmured.

"I know. If anyone knows that, it's me." Carlos replied weakly. He knew they spoke the truth. He'd seen it in court records.

"You poor kid. Have another iced coffee on us." Roger chimed in ( _Carlos loved Auradon coffee, so sweet and rich, and ten different kinds of chocolate_ ), and his wife smacked his arm.

"Any more caffeine and he'll be jumpier than a rabbit!" Anita chided him playfully.

(They still thought they had to buy him things. _Him_ , one of the richest men in the world.)

"That's okay," Carlos laughed. "I've been drinking coffee since I was a kid, so I have a high caffeine tolerance."

And then they gave him _that look_ again, the one they showed whenever he said anything, however small, to indicate how bad his childhood was. It was something like sadness, pity, and righteous anger rolled into one.

_If the thought of a child drinking coffee has them so riled up, I guess I shouldn't show them my scars_. Carlos thought bitterly.

He couldn't afford to spend too much time with them, the kind couple from Charmington. Because Roger and Anita treated him like a child, and Carlos hadn't been a child in a long, long time. Especially not _their_ child.

Plus, Carlos (of this timeline at least) was still firmly a cat person.

They were so close now. As much as Mal herself wanted to have been the one to end the Beast, she had to content herself with waiting her turn for Aurora and Phillip. The next executioner was Jay, who stood in front of Aladdin and Jasmine with a grim expression.

"You _stole_ my inheritance. I haven't yet been able to contact my family, and you're so, _so_ lucky your execution is scheduled for now, and not later." Jay hissed. "If I can't find my family because they're _dead_ , or _homeless_ , your deaths would be _so_ much worse."

Aladdin opened his mouth to protest, but Mal cast a spell, and no sound came out. They'd already used a truth spell during interrogation to find out that Aladdin really hadn't known about Jay's family, so anything he could have said was merely begging for his life or Jasmine's. Jay wasn't cruel. It would only hurt him and cool his anger to hear them beg, and Mal truly believed this had to be done. The three watched like impassive statues as Jay passed down judgement.

"You're a thief, Aladdin." Jay growled. "And you know what they do with thieves in Agrabah."

Two heads rolled that day, and they always cleaned up the blood by themselves, the four of them. The servants knew there were executions of course, but Mal didn't want to make them clean up blood in the palace. So the killings always happened in the dungeons, and they _always_ cleaned up after themselves. Fatima was getting the same vetting process as Tiana and Naveen's heirs, Nicole and Tomas, all hoping to someday rule. Aziz wanted to be a professional Tourney player.

Evie's turn was next, and she stood in front of Snow White and Ferdinand with a wicked grin.

"Time to finish what my mother started." The girl laughed sweetly, entirely at odds with her murderous demeanor. She didn't think that what Snow _or_ her mother did was _wrong_ , exactly. To get rid of a potential rival for the throne was not uncommon, nor was deposing a queen regent in order to take one's seat. No, Evie's particular bone to pick with Snow was more about how she _refused_ to acknowledge Evie's legitimacy, even now, as she was on her knees awaiting execution.

"I have the dwarves, who used to be _your_ friends, Snow. I have your daughters, air-headed as they are, and I have _your kingdom_. Tell me I win."

"Hmmph. You want _my_ validation? Doesn't that make you sort of desperate?" Snow asked tauntingly, and Evie's eyes narrowed.

"Tell me I've won, and I'll let your daughters live." She whispered, and Snow's eyes went wide. Evie gestured to the platter she had before her. There were five apples there. One for each of their family, plus one, for the fun of it. Evie had told them that one of the five apples wasn't poisoned, and if they found the clean one, Ferdinand or Snow could live.

It was a lie, of course. Evie didn't get this far just to give up at the finish line. It was also a lie that she would hurt her step nieces. Blanche and Willow might be ditzy and vain girls, but they'd been promised a spot in the new Auradon Prep if they behaved, and if they passed, they could nicely rule Germania while Evie spent time in the capital.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, Snow White looked up at Evie, and bitterly murmured: "You win." Before biting into her chosen apple.

When she dropped instantly, painlessly dead, Ferdinand took a bite of his own apple, thinking that he would either die, or he wouldn't. Of course, he died.

Mal's turn was next, and she looked towards Phillip, Aurora, and Audrey with the highest contempt. Well, maybe not Audrey. She'd been kind of a bitch to Jane and Lonnie, Mal had heard, but she wasn't the type to judge people on first appearances or past indiscretions, especially teenagers.

"You still have time to join me, niece." Mal asked, leaning down into Audrey's face with a concerned frown.

"I will never follow you, you _pretender_!" Audrey exclaimed. Mal had tried to explain it to her several times now, as Diaval had explained it to _her_. It was a lot to take in, knowing you were first conceived when all your peers' _parents_ were.

The conversation had gone something like this: Mal had been walking through the rose garden with her familiar, when she asked him who her father was.

"Mother wouldn't tell me. She thinks it's some grand surprise." Mal explained with a roll of her eyes.

"Oh, well it _is_. And you probably wouldn't have believed her if she told you." The man cawed in a crow-like laugh.

"And why not? She has no motive to lie to me now." Mal replied.

"What if I told you you were conceived by King Stefan?" Diaval asked, and Mal pursed her lips.

"It reminded me of something Aurora said at her trial. She said that her father stole Maleficent's ' _innocence'_ , which I assume is some flowery euphemism for virginity-" a cawing laugh at that, until Mal shushed him. "- but I thought about it, and the timeline doesn't add up."

"Ah, clever mistress." Diaval smirked, the feathers at the edges of his face crinkling lightly. "But Fae biology is not the same as humans. Any fertilized egg can wait for _years_ in stasis before developing into a child. There is no such thing among the Fae as an un-planned baby."

"Why did she choose to have me on the Isle then?" Mal demanded. If she had been born in her home as planned, she'd have _wings!_

"I suspect that the barrier had something to do with it. Once she was separated from her ancestral magic, I'd say your mother simply couldn't help it. Once you began to grow, it was too late to stop you." Diaval explained. "Besides, it was fated this way. If you were born in any other age, you would never have had the connection with your court. This era would have passed by with no great change as the fates had planned."

"I don't think you could have stopped it if you wanted to." Diaval finished, fluttering as if still a bird, moving with eerily smooth motions that really drove home the knowledge that he wasn't human.

Audrey on the other hand, couldn't seem to grasp the concept, and Mal was _done_ trying to explain it to her. If she wanted to die with her parents, _so be it._

"No, no, dear half-niece of mine. _You're_ the only pretender here." Mal whispered, before their throats were cleanly slit, and the bodies consumed in dragon fire.

"You did good." Jay said, as Mal stared blankly into the flames.

"No, _we_ did good." Mal replied with a real smile, the first she'd given since Ben had died.

"We did it." Evie laughed, "We did it!"

"We did what our parents never could. All the tears and pain led right to here." Carlos grinned.

"Time to burn it to the _ground_." Mal smirked, and to the surprised stares, she replied, "Not literally. I actually like this palace a lot. I mean like, _legislatively_."

"Oh, _definitely_." Evie nodded. "Rulers can no longer be empty-headed beauties like Snow White."

"Or thieves, who only rule because of marriage or luck, like Aladdin." Jay added.

"Or crazy people." Carlos chimed in. "Gotta vet out those crazy people."

"Or selfish, unprepared idiots, like Aurora." Mal completed the cycle. It was the first rule for their meritocracy: Any would-be ruler of Auradon must attend Auradon Prep (which would finally _prepare_ it's students) and pass a qualifying test. Jay, Evie, Carlos, and Mal had all eventually taken time off to take the test themselves, as it wouldn't do for them to not follow their own rules, but that was still months away.

"They'll need a good knowledge of history and current events." Carlos noted on the night they drew up the curriculum plans.

"And economics, to better run their treasuries." Jay had made his own contribution.

"Diplomacy, so they can smile at people they hate, and lie through their teeth to save lives." Evie added, looking to Mal, who had to think before she added her own tenet.

"Charisma, and public speaking, so that when they lead, people will follow."

And so the four-fold motto of Auradon Prep was born: _Scientia, Sententia, Astutia, Oratoria_.

Knowledge, reason, diplomacy, charisma.

All the history books had had to be rewritten, because they only ever held cautionary tales of heroes' past glories, and the moral was always something tooth-rotting, like 'always trust in yourself!' or 'kindness is always the answer!' the most common was 'believe in true love!' and Mal knew for _certain_ that one was bullshit. _Ben_ believed in true love, and all he got for it was a hero's funeral and a dedicated wing in the new library.

There was _so_ much work to be done, but there was fun to be had too. All of the main four and their new Auradon friends stayed in one weekend and binge-watched everything they could get their hands on. The only movies they'd ever seen as kids were goody-goody afternoon specials shown on all the Isle televisions because Adam hoped the morals would rub off on them or something. They were so amazed to find out that there were other types of movies out there.

"You guys have never seen Mean Girls? The Breakfast Club?" Lonnie had exclaimed, even though by this point she honestly shouldn't be surprised at their shitty childhood after all the time she'd spent with them lately.

They ate popcorn that was freshly popped (Carlos was amazed that it actually looked like the picture on the pacakge.) Oftentimes on the Isle, they'd gotten empty bags of microwave popcorn with piles of unpopped kernels stuffed into the bottom. The Isle kids would put several in their mouths at a time to savor the butter taste, and soften them enough to eat.

Doug took them out to an ice-cream bar, where there were over twenty different flavors of ice cream, so many that they could scarcely decide (although Mal, who had recently discovered a love for all things strawberry had no problem figuring out what flavor _she_ wanted.) They all got one scoop to try, and went back for seconds, and thirds, and even fourths. It was indulgence of a new, glorious kind. The pure and honest hedonism of four who got to live for the very first time.

Jay suspected that the shopkeeper might not have usually allowed a group of rowdy teens to hang out in her shop eating ice cream all day, but like everyone in Auradon, she'd seen the photos during the trials. She knew that this was their first time, and what they'd come from.

Harriet, through her long correspondence with Hatter, had a deeper understanding of Auradon than most Isle Descendants, even though she'd never experienced it, she understood the _concepts_ well enough, and showed her kings and queens the playhouses and theaters of Auradon.

"You know, Shakespeare wrote a play about the first fae court." Jane had piped up as they debated which to see. Mal was _so_ looking forward to Julius Caesar, but she conceded her interest for the sake of seeing what Shakespeare imagined for the god and goddess of the Fae.

In settling the affairs of her revenge, Shan Mei eventually petitioned Mal to please, _please_ , let her kill Li Lonnie, which was always vehemently refused.

"I have no problem letting the children survive," Mei explained. "They will be raised as Huns, and trained properly, given as much love as we can give. But that adult daughter, I cannot allow her to become a threat!"

"It's non-negotiable." Mal insisted. "Li Lanying lives, or you don't get China."

"May I suggest a compromise?" Jay chimed in. He was great friends with Lonnie and knew her feelings on the matter.

"Suggest away, Jay." Mal inclined her head.

"You should fight," He grinned. "Not to the death or anything, but if she defeats you in battle, you have to let her rule China alongside you."

It was a duel then, and to the surprise of no-one but Mei herself, she was throuroughly trounced and pinned by a wickedly triumphant Lanying. From that point onward, Mei's respect and affection for the other girl skyrocketed, and she began subtly courting the daughter of her father's worst enemy. (As for Shan Yu, he had died in a duel on the Isle, so if _he_ had anything to say about that, it would have to be via seance).

Doug sometimes followed Evie around like a puppy dog, and Mal watched it with amusement, but never said anything. They'd already agreed on it back with Ben.

_You're my true love, and I'm yours, and nothing else matters.  
_  
These were the greatest times of their lives.

• • •

Harriet came to Mal one day, wearing the red Captain's hat that Madelyn Hatter had made for her, and she asked for a writ of passage to use her ship outside of Auradon waters.

"Absolutely, Hook." Mal smiled. "Keep any piracy off the books, okay captain?"

"Nah, that's Uma's thing. I'm strictly doing an exploratory journey." Harriet explained with a grin.

Uma herself had come by just a week earlier to get her own certificate, claiming that she was going to go rightfully claim her throne in Atlantia. Mal told her to make sure any mayhem and bloodshed wouldn't be traced back to Auradon.

It was a messy business, but Mal wasn't in the habit of denying _anyone_ their revenge, and she supposed now that things were getting settled down, the pirates wanted to be back on the ocean.

"What are you looking for?" Mal asked teasingly, and handed the stamped and signed certificate to Harriet, who looked at her with a smirk.

"The Lost Island of Tir Na Nog." The girl whispered, and Mal felt a tingle in her bones.

"Do let me know what you find out." She replied, trying to seem nonchalant about it.

"Will do, commander." Harriet replied, grinning over the use of Mal's old nickname.

Lost Island.

Mal knew, objectively, that the ancestral home of the fae was called the Lost Island. But she'd never heard it said aloud, never noticed the similarities.

Lost Isle. Isle of The Lost.

Using the cellphones they all had now, Mal frantically called Jane.

"What is it, Queen?" Jane asked (Mal had told her a million times to call her Mal, and Jane had answered a million times that she was the Queen and that was all).

"Why did the Fae leave Tir Na Nog?" Mal asked in lieu of an explanation, and Jane chuckled lightly on the other end of the line.

"You never paid attention in Diaval's diaspora lessons, did you?" Jane teased.

"This is no time for jokes! Why did they leave, Jane?" Mal asked, practically begging, and her senechal could tell the worry in her voice.

"The seelie and unseelie were fighting, and it tore the land apart in a massive civil war. The queen at the time was actually named Mal, like you, but it was short for Maledictum." Jane explained. "Maledictum placed a curse on her own land, and insisted that it would never bear fruit until the two factions could unite under one banner and work together to release the curse."

Mal dropped the phone, and Jane, worried, could no longer hear her on the other line. Jane didn't know what had happened while Evie and Carlos were alone on the Isle, but Mal _did_. And even if Evie had told her, she may not have told Jane the whole story.

They didn't terraform the Isle. They just removed a curse, and gave it a little push.

When the four plus Jane entered the room, having been summoned at Mal's abrupt disappearance, she looked up at them with eyes of flame.

"Out of all the places they could have put that Island..." She whispered, in a voice that was neither angry nor sad.

"Mal, we promised ourselves not to think about the Isle anymore," Jay interjected, but Mal smiled at him to show she wasn't upset.

"Out of all the places to have met, _fate_ took us to the Lost Island of the Fae."

All four understood. They'd been told about the Island in conjunction with their thoughts about where the Isle might have come from. Without this last bit of knowledge, no one could put it together until now, but they knew Mal was right.

It was just one more sign that this was more than right.

This was destiny.

**• End Act 3 •**


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: On Fanfiction.net, this began as a sequel, a separate story. But seeing as it's basically an extended epilogue, I've appended it to the original 36 chapter story. That will explain some things, hopefully.

**"...And everyone felt that the world (and perhaps the universe) had passed from the control of** ** _known_** **gods or forces, to that of gods or forces which were** ** _un_** **known** ** _."  
_** ****  
\- H.P. Lovecraft, Nyarlathotep

* * *

Mal had always adored the rose gardens before the palace lawn. Perhaps it stemmed from her peoples' obession with briars and thorns. Perhaps it was because there had been no roses on the Isle before the fall of the barrier. In any case, the roses were one of her favorite things about Auradon, and when she made sure there was computer access in every community of her new nation, she included rose plants with them, to make Auradon the kingdom of Justice and Roses.

It had been a full year since Mal had nigh single-handedly taken over an empire, and running it was stupidly easier than expected. Unlike the Isle, there was already a groundwork that just needed to be tweaked and improved. With the prevalence of email, postal service, and modern technology, citizens from the farthest reaches of the country could appeal to Mal for aid. Jane filtered through the letters and digital requests that arrived daily, and directed the senders to websites and organizations that would help. Those with tricky solutions got forwarded to Mal herself.

Not everyone was so pleased at first, not with the grisly deaths of their previous rulers overhead. But none of the dissenters were brave enough or wealthy enough to fight back, and they'd seen what happened to Chad, after all. So after a while, and lengthy reforms, most dissent died down. While Mal wouldn't hesitate to quash rebellion, she hadn't needed to yet.

It wasn't all work and no play. As much as the original four refused to become greedy and complacent like their predecessors, what was the use of taking over a kingdom if you didn't enjoy it? The servants who worked in the palace were treated more kindly than they had ever been, and had taken to saying that the four rulers who employed them were the happiest kings and queens who ever lived, because they _knew_ what it was like to have nothing, and respected what they'd earned **.**

The new colors of the kingdom were gold and violet (not lavender, like the dress she wore to fool the council, but the color that was made when Ben's blood stained the royal blue carpet), and Mal decided to keep the name, mostly because she couldn't think of a better one, and she wanted to reuse all the old stationary.

Still, something was missing.

One year became two, and Jay and Carlos were married, on the second anniversary of their very own happy ending.

They both wore custom Evie-designed suits, and the affair was a matter for celebration throughout the kingdom. Apparently, anti-gay sentiments were still somewhat strong here in Auradon, so instead of celebration, the announcement was met with trepidation and grumbling. At least, until Carlos went on TV and announced that he and Jay wanted to _share_ their happiness with all their subjects, in the form of a two-hundred dollar cheque to every citizen over the age of sixteen, and a new state holiday, known as Revolution Day on the anniversary of their reign.

It was amazing what a little bribery could accomplish.

That first Revolution Day went off with a blaze of fireworks and cookouts throughout the region, and it was still a popular day for weddings in years to come.

Uma successfully took back the trident of her mother's legacy, and left Ursula to manage Atlantea, while she went back to pillaging the seven seas in the name of gold and as a self-proclaimed pirate king (it was apparently a gender neutral term, and she'd taken over from Hook, who never reclaimed his title, for reasons unknown.)

On the third Revolution Day, she asked Mal to change the marriage laws to allow the union of three or more participants, and so Uma, Gil, and Harry, were the first polyamorous marriage that Evie herself officiated. They were soon promptly followed by Antoine, Ginny, and Daria, who had at first been blatantly against the idea of marriage, but later decided to go through with it so that little Anne-Marie would be their legal heir.

Surprisingly enough, Rapunzel approached her next, explaining how for years, she'd been madly in love with two people, and now that she was pregnant, she wanted to make sure Ruby Fitzherbert knew of her parents' marital status, not unlike her young stepsister had done.

Three years since Auradon had first changed hands, and Mal still felt something missing, but now she'd gotten the spark of an idea, and something came to her, like a quiet vision.

Twentieth birthday. It was celebrated throughout the land, as Mal's four years in power had seen massive changes for the better in all aspects of life, and Mal was a beloved High Queen among her subjects. Any dissent was either underground, or gone, and there was peace in all the land. Fairy tales often start with once upon a time, but this fairy tale started with a curse word and a forbidden friendship.

The next book of the fairy tale began with two bottles of expensive vodka and smeared make-up, and fireworks.

They'd gotten way too drunk at the after-party (the one with only close friends, no one they didn't trust), and all four of them ended up leaving late into the night, all holding hands (touchy and affectionate) as they didn't separate to go to their own rooms.

"Ooh, I still remember how _hot_ you looked in your uniform on the day we took over," Mal purred in delight, running a hand across Jay's tattoos. "All intimidating shadows and blood stains on black armor."

"I never wanted to say it, I never thought I'd be attracted to anyone but Carlos ever again," Jay laughed uncharacteristically, all their lips made loose by alcohol. "But Mal looked _so_ hot when she killed Aurora and slit Audrey's throat."

Carlos had been thinking about how it felt on the Isle, when they were left behind together with just he and Evie, and how she hugged him too tight for comfort, and he'd caught her when the lookout tower was cannonballed.

"I think I can't live without you." Evie murmured. "Any of you."

"Then don't." Jay laughed. "I'm not going anywhere."

The magic laced between them in a way it hadn't before. Mal got a sudden recollection of the day she first met Evie by climbing up the trellis of her bedroom window with white fingers and open-mouthed exertion. It was the magic of change and rebirth, a new shift in the universe. As her lips met Jay's mouth in a greedy kiss, Evie and Carlos were kissing behind them, but it felt like Mal was kissing _everyone_ , and the entire universe shifted two feet to the left.

Mal's magic sang out in realization of the change, of the fact that they were all meant for each other in the same way that she was meant to rule Auradon, one way or another, in every single timeline (either by Ben's side, or over his body). Whether friends or lovers, they were always _the four_ , in every universe, in every lifetime.

 _Four, forever. Fourever._ Her magic sang, and her drunk mind blurred the words into one.

"I didn't think I liked men." Evie noted shyly. "I know I couldn't live without you three, but it's different and _confusing_."

"I love you all but I'm still _in love_ with Evie." Mal muttered, confused and too drunk to think about it too much. "But I really wanna ride Jay like I fucking _own_ him, you know?"

"Once I would have chosen Carlos over either of you girls," Jay admitted. "No offense."

"None taken~!" Evie answered in a sing-song tone with a giggle.

"But now, I wouldn't want to have to decide. It's all or nothing." Jay laughed. "Oh man, this is so confusing. You _do_ own me, Mal. Except for, _like_ , the parts that Carlos owns."

"Let me explain it then," Mal laughed, collapsing onto her huge bed, the kind they'd always dreamed about on the Isle. Kissing Jay again, pulling him near to her so that it felt like they were one person, each one fourth of a whole.

"Evie is my true love. Carlos is yours." She breathed as she pulled away, leaning their foreheads together in a way that was more intimate than anything they'd ever done before. "But the four of us are meant for each other, in any configuration. We're four parts of a whole."

It shouldn't have turned him on like this, watching Mal kiss his husband with all the passion of a Fae Queen, but it _did_ and Carlos _liked_ it.

"Hey C," Evie purred, using that one letter nickname like she did for the ones she  
really loved. "We won't let them have _all_ the fun, right?"

Carlos was smitten.

Across the castle, Jane awoke with a shudder (she didn't stay long at the afterparty, not prone to drinking), and she looked to Diaval's perch, murmuring to herself and the bird. Being the Court's secret-keeper, she had felt the shift in the magic, adding and multiplying, and gaining momentum like a snowball rolling down a frigid mountain.

"Everything has changed, Diaval." Jane purred, running a hand over the bird's black and silky feathers. "They've realized the third part of the pattern."

The bird became man, and paced over to the window with a contemplative look.

"When the queen and empress united, the Isle was brought to it's knees. When the magician and knight were bound, Auradon knew no mercy." Diaval chimed in, watching the full moon with satisfaction as he wondered over the new development.

"Now that four are one, I wonder what new challenge will be overcome by their power?" Jane finished his thought, and turned to a new page in the journal.

In another lifetime, Evie ended up with Doug, and Ben was still alive, and Carlos was meant for Jane, and Jay was madly in love with Lonnie. In that universe, Mal was set up to be the benevolent ruler of Auradon, and the Isle remained a prison colony for the rest of their lifetimes. As the secret keeper, it was Jane's responsibility to know all the perpetual timelines, and how all (but her own) would play out.

In another alternate future, Mal had taken over Auradon, but never looked beyond Evie for happiness, and everything remained as it was, somewhat complete, somewhat stagnant, never having reached the magic's full potential.

Neither of these alternate futures were explicitly worse than the present - both required Mal's doing what she thought was right, and both offered a unique view of Happily Ever After.

In _this_ world, with the realization that they were all four meant for each other, and the knowledge that something was missing, they finally found the piece that fate had set out for them, and took the road less travelled. In _this_ universe, Mal would be empress, and the four of them would indelibly change the entire world with their next move.

Jane kept her own set of tarot cards these days, after learning the craft of reading them from Evie. It was traditionally a witch's craft, but that didn't exclude the Fae from using them on occasion, though their results were often less accurate. Jane liked to use them to gauge a situation, and she often used four decks simultaneously, one for each member of the inner circle. The question she asked the cards tonight was simple, and required only one card from one deck.

"What happens now?" She asked.

The tarot answered with The Tower.

That card was a card of chaos. It meant the world was being shaken, and everything they knew would change. The Tower was a card of shifting, of earthquakes and massive changes. The Tower was a deer jumping out in the middle of the road or a surprise visitor or an ex begging you to take him back. It wasn't bad, necessarily, but it was unpredictable, and Jane found herself shaking her head with amusement.

Mal never had an easy ride, did she?


	38. Chapter 38

The Monday after Mal's twentieth birthday was the first graduation of the all-new Auradon Prep's original class. Mal was eager to set the new rulers into the vacuum their parents' deaths had created, as at the moment, each province was being ruled by a prime minister, council of Lords, etc. This new generation would be more prepared than a ramshackle council assembled for the express purpose of holding off disasters before Mal could get the rulers trained and taught.

They stood before her after passing the bar test for permission to rule a nation, all with varying expressions. Fatima was proud, all smiles, with her brother cheering her on from the audience. Nichole (the daughter of Tiana and Naveen) was stoic, but Mal got the sense she was usually so. The old records from Auradon stated that she was on the autistic spectrum, towards the high-functioning side like Carlos, and didn't often show much emotion on her face. Blanche, the eldest daughter of Snow White looked powerfully bored. After the ceremony, she was headed back to Germania, and Willow (who had failed the test) was going home too, unwilling to try again.

Lonnie was standing proud with Mei beside her, both having taken the necessary courses together. Shan Mei was one of the only Isle descendants who hadn't passed the test on her first try, but she used the classes to get closer to Lonnie, who was still thoroughly oblivious to the other girl's intentions. No one was going to tell her about Mei's obvious crush on her - it was too hilarious to watch.

They were all proudly presented with diplomas and given the crowns of their parents. Mal refused to let any of the villain kids make off with treasure if they didn't mean to keep the kingdom that went along with it. You'd think a villain queen would be less discriminating about those things, but Mal was _extremely_ adamant that if you wanted riches, you had to earn them.

Thus it was that all of the former crown jewels of the people Mal had condemned were saved for their children, with a few exceptions. Antoine and Daria wore the crowns of the king and queen of Charmington, and Ginny got a crown that used to belong to the Princess-Consort and hadn't been used for over a century. It was now re-christened, and Charmington was enchanted with their new king, who had not one, but two queens by his side.

Mal had never stopped hating fancy speeches, but Evie was her speech writer these days, so all she had to do was turn on the charisma, and Mal was the fairest of them all when it came to charisma. The real fun, of course, started with the after party, where all pomp was disposed with, and the original generation, Mal's peers, could all let loose and reminisce. This would be the first time they were _all_ in one place since the revolution four years ago, and there was _a lot_ to talk about.

When the four recreated Auradon Prep, they'd also built another school right alongside it, called the Auradon School of Magic Arts. It was part of Mal's initiative to bring magic back into the world after years of being squashed by law and panic. Tuition was free for anyone who showed aptitude, and Hildegard was boarding there and returning home to the castle over the summer. Most of the orphans from the Isle had been homed with good families (including Juan DeVil, who was the proud new son of Roger and Anita) but Hildegard refused to leave Evie, except to further her training as a witch.

The party tonight wasn't just to celebrate the graduation of the first new rulers, but also to commemorate the graduation of the first certified witch from the School of Magic: Dizzy Tremaine.

This event was a time for them all to meet and greet and catch up, so the four split up to seek out their personal friends and protegés.

* * *

Evie sought out Dizzy first, the girl who'd been like a little sister to her for as long as she could remember. She was dancing with Claudine Frollo, the same way they'd been on the night they took Dragon Hall. But instead of a rag-tag fighter and a scared little girl, Evie saw the two as nearly-grown women, wearing glittering ball gowns to celebrate their sudden independence.

"How have things been, Dizzy?" The queen asked with a smile and a clear, beautiful laugh.

On the Isle, they'd assumed she had no magic. None of her siblings or extended family did, and she really only called herself a witch because she was Evie's most faithful helper. But here in Auradon, she'd _flourished,_ showing a real affinity for long-lasting glamour magic. It was good, because a lot of Auradon citizens now wanted to sport the extreme hair color which their kings and queens were known for. Mal and Evie and Carlos' hair was like that because of the magic that could find no outlet within the barrier, and up until now, wild hair dyes were unheard of in Auradon. Thus a witch like Dizzy could make a serious profit by magically changing peoples' hair to appear Isle-like.

Dizzy explained all this to Evie, before introducing her guest: Claudine Frollo.

"Evie, you remember Claudy, don't you?" Dizzy grinned, as the shy girl extended her hand to shake.

"I could never forget you." Evie replied earnestly. How could she ever forget the first child whose tormentor Mal had killed? How could she forget the girl sleeping underneath Jay's counter, dancing in loops with Dizzy, Father Frollo's head paraded around the market square on a pike, one dusty day in Autumn.

"I wanted to thank you personally for what you four did for me, and I don't think I ever did as a kid, five or six years ago." Claudine explained, blushing furiously. "Thanks to Mal, I'm able to learn theology and music at a school in Southern Auradon."

"I'm so glad for you." Evie smiled and meant it, although her face looked no different than usual. "Why did you accompany Dizzy today?"

"Erm, well, I mean..." Claudine clammed up, shyer than ever, and couldn't seem to form words.

"I wanted to be the first to introduce you to my girlfriend!" Dizzy spoke up, taking the pressure of her friend. "Claudy and I are officially going steady!"

"I'm so happy for you!" Evie squealed in happiness, wrapping them both in a crushing hug. "Do you need anything at all from me?"

"Well, we actually wanted some advice on long distance relationships." Dizzy confessed.

"Because I'm going to college in Normandy, and Diz is staying here in the capital." Claudine added.

"When I was separated from Mal for that week, we communicated using magic mirrors all the time." Evie explained, talking with her hands as she gestured. "With all our modern technology, you can text, call, or even cast the same enchantment, if you know how. What's important is that you set aside some time every day to talk."

"Communication is important for a young relationship." Claudine agreed.

"Ah! Speaking of communication, I almost forgot!" Dizzy exclaimed, pulling a rumpled envelope from her clutch purse. "This is from Hildegard!"

The girl handed over the letter, before excusing herself and her date, leaving Evie to read the letter in privacy.

* * *

"Congratulations on your graduation." Jay said to Fatima as he crossed her path near the refreshments. It was an honest compliment, as Jay was never talented with diplomacy like Evie or Carlos (or even Mal) were. He only did something if he meant it.

"Thank you for the chance to prove myself, King Jay." The girl shyly replied. She liked Jay, despite what her brother said about him ( _'He killed our parents, 'Tima, how can you stand to be around him?'_ ) and she knew enough about his history to know that he was raised to _keep_ what he was afraid to lose. Killing Aladdin wasn't just about revenge, it was about eliminating a threat to his power. While Fatima never wanted to get revenge (and actually _forgave_ Jay because forgiveness was what she believed in), she didn't hate him for what he did.

She saw her brother going down the very same path, absent from the party as he avoided Jay like the plague - he was raised the same way she was, and yet, she could see his heart becoming consumed with hatred.

"We're friends now," He smiled brightly. "Just 'Jay' is fine."

"Alright then, 'Just Jay.'" The girl teased, sipping politely from her glass.

"So, where's Aziz?" The king asked, in a way that was less friendly than his last quip, with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. Of course, the after party wasn't a mandatory event, but a ruler can only be snubbed by a noble so many times before he gets irked. Fatima let out a deep internal sigh.

"He told me he wasn't feeling well, and went back to his hotel room." It wasn't a lie, at least. Even if Aziz' sickness was born of hatred and not food poisoning or a cold.

"Tell him I missed him then." Jay insisted (for it was a tone of voice that was a command more than a pleasantry.) "It'd be great to talk Tourney sometime."

And just like that, the Ghost of Agrabah was gone, and it was just Jay again, grinning and winking at her even though he was firmly off the market (flirting was just in his nature, as much as breathing and magic). It was amazing to Fatima, how much he looked like Aladdin in those moments. Her father was much the same way, joking and open with family, and a cold, decisive ruler to foes.

"I'll pass on the message. But I can talk Tourney quite well by myself, you know!" Fatima teased, in line with the suddenly relaxed atmosphere. She was a real natural in diplomacy. "The Agrabah Cobras will definitely take the APTL Cup this year. Back home, we joke that the A in _Auradon Professional Tourney League_ actually stands for Agrabah, that's how often we win the cup."

It was banal small talk, but reading between the lines could give both observers hints about the other. Jay got the sense that Fatima would cover her brother in something small like missing a party, but he didn't think she'd support him in any treason. Her quip about the A in APTL made Jay think she was fiercely proud of her home kingdom.

Meanwhile, Fatima saw that Jay could be kind to those who showed him kindness first, but to Aziz, who was only cold and rude, he was able to convey serious ire, while still making Fatima certain the negative feeling wasn't directed at her.

For someone who wasn't so great at diplomacy, Jay always seemed to be a master of doublespeak and entendre.

* * *

Mal wove through the crowds like a snake through wheat fields, and gave a smile and a regal nod to everyone she saw. She was graceful and beautiful, made more exquisite by the suffering and the scars, and the long fight to get to the top and stay there. Her eyes were met by another natural royal, Elsa of Arendelle, who smiled at her so warmly you'd never think she had ice magic.

"Good evening, Mal." She smiled, wrapping the violet queen in a quick hug. Mal wouldn't have allowed it from anyone else outside her circle, but Elsa was her earliest ally in Auradon, and she had a soft spot for the queen that was hard to explain and best left alone.

"Good evening, queen Elsa." Make replied indulgently. The ice queen stepped aside, and let go of Mal, taking in her beautiful dress with an appraising grin.

"Is that a new gown?" Elsa asked teasingly, knowing how little Mal cared for clothes and the spending of money.

"Actually, it's new, but made from recycled fabric, just like we used to use on the Isle." Mal admitted with a proud smile. "Evie wanted me to wear it, to promote her new chain of upcycling boutiques. 'Waste not want not' is still our biggest policy."

Elsa was _constantly_ amazed by these four and the way they saw the world. Everything around them was changed by their presence, like they were less of a human group, and more of a force of nature. They changed everything merely by existing, and as much as Elsa wanted to stay impartial, she was _so_ interested in where this regime would go.

"Frankly, I'm fascinated." The queen laughed. "I _insist_ on donating old clothes from Arendelle to your new project."

"You don't have to do that, Elsa," Mal interupted, but the ice queen cut her off with a chiding hand.

"No, no, I insist!" Elsa exclaimed. "If you _must_ repay me, I'd like a certain dress made, using the material from an old gown we have at home."

"Any special occasion?" Mal asked teasingly, but she was actually curious about it, and wanted more information.

"Yes, in fact." Elsa replied. "My sister's birthday is coming up, and I wanted to give her beloved old dress a new makeover."

"Wonderful! Find Evie and tell her the details immediately." Mal insisted. "She loves making custom dresses to fit the client. She'd make Anna look even lovelier."

Mal had a way with words sometimes, and she felt it now, as Elsa walked away. She was never a big talker on the Isle, except once she started building an army. Even now, she still preferred to talk with her fists. But sometimes, like tonight, she felt a deep calm take over her, and her regal side came out to play, telling people exactly what they wanted to hear.

That regal side immediately abandoned her when Uma strolled up to her, grinning with white teeth, her hair done up in a glorious up-do, pinned with a giant-squid hair piece.

"What's new, Shrimpy?" Mal asked teasingly, as Uma cuffed her on the shoulder playfully.

"I won't be shrimpy for _much_ longer." Uma smirked, possessively rubbing her stomach. "Pretty soon I'll be bigger than a house."

Mal gasped, suddenly overcome with happiness for her friend. "Oh gods. I'm so happy for you, Uma!" She exclaimed, wrapping her old friend-turned-enemy-turned-friend-again in a warm hug. Uma flinched, but relaxed into the hug with a smile.

"Where are the potential fathers?" Mal joked, and Uma rolled her eyes.

"If you mean Harry and Gil... They're probably making out in a closet somewhere. They hate any parties that don't have vodka and loud music."

"I know how they feel." Mal huffed. "This is way nicer than any Isle parties we had, but if I wasn't the absolute monarch, I'd skip out too."

"So... Before this kid is born, I just wanted to let you know... I'm sorry." Uma explained, glancing to the side in embarrassment. She'd never apologized in her life, and it was _hard_. Auradon kids never talked about how _difficult_ it could be.

"If anyone should be apologizing, it's me." Mal interjected quietly. "I'm the one who ruined our friendship when I turned on you."

"Let's put it behind us." Uma agreed, grinning. "We ain't punk kids anymore."

"Right. We're both queens now. Let's act like it." Mal confirmed, and they shook hands with smiles, for the first time since childhood. Even though they were courteous to each other, and Mal was at her wedding, she and Uma had never smiled at each other as friends since they were practically babies.

As they hugged again, Mal was thinking she'd ask about potential baby names, but she was jolted from her thoughts by a sharp stab of fear and alertness that wasn't her own.

"Mal?" Uma asked, as she saw her friend's face change. "What's going on?"

Somehow, Mal knew that the fear was coming from Carlos, and she felt the other two, Evie and Jay, prick at the edge of her consciousness. Evie was feeling nervous for Carlos, and their guests, and Jay was filled with rage. His anger was so strong, Mal could literally hear the thoughts that cycled through his head.

_If anyone's hurt him, I'll rip their throats out!_ The half-djinn thought, and despite being on opposite sides of the grand hall, he, Mal, and Evie, could sense where Carlos was, and gravitated to him, like moths to a flame, or like magnets.

_Don't worry, Jay_. Mal thought in reply. _If anyone hurts him, we'll_ _ **all**_ _rip their throats out._


	39. Chapter 39

Evie wove through the crowds as if they weren't really there, or if she was merely a ghost passing through them. Her heart, and what she could only assume was magic, was leading her to Carlos, who was threatened, and nothing else mattered.

_What's happening?_ She thought.

_Magic, duh._ Jay answered her, as if he'd had magic his whole life, and not just since the barrier fell.

That gave Mal an idea - if the three of them could communicate telepathically, why not Carlos?

_Carlos? What's going on?_ The faerie queen tried thinking out into the void. It was like focusing on her magic. She pinpointed the part of her mind that _felt_ like Carlos, and sent her thoughts and feelings there.

_There's an intruder in the castle._ Came the swift reply, and all three knew it was their friend. Usually, Mal would rush headfirst into the danger, but she felt a part of her that was so _Evie_ , that advised caution.

Jay was already on his comm, and alerted the guards. This was a party of royals and future royals, so they were looking for someone who stood out, likely weaeing civilian clothes, compared to the fancy suits and dresses everyone else was sporting. It didn't take long to find the culprit, once the search was on, and he was swiftly detained for questioning.

The four met up in the middle of the hall, and hugged briefly, glad that the scare had passed.

"Now that we have a prisoner to interrogate, shouldn't we stop the party?" Mal asked. It was scheduled to go on for another hour or so, but she was honestly looking for a bit of an excuse.

"No, we can't just shuffle all our guests out the door," Evie insisted. "It would be _scandalous_!"

"Two of us go then, and two of us stay." Jay added his own idea, and it was quickly agreed. They all felt their respective magics hum pleasantly as they worked together, and the next question was who would go, and who would stay. It wasn't like this on the Isle, and while Mal wanted to believe it was something in the Auradon water supply or some other bullshit, she had a feeling it was more likely related to the recent night they'd all spent together. All _four_ of them.

In the past, Mal had always been so afraid to show weakness, she rarely went along with plans that weren't her own. Jay never suggested anything that didn't have to do with money or theft, and Carlos rarely spoke until he came out of his shell. Now, it was like there was nothing separating them, like they were one soul in four bodies, compensating each other's flaws to make a single, perfect being.

_Four hearts as one_. Evie mused, mentally preening at Mal's thoughts, and feeling so special about it that it kind of radiated off of her onto the others.

_You're such a sap._ Mal teased.

_Enough, you two. Blagh._ Carlos rolled his eyes, stating the next part out loud. "As chief of security and least socially apt, _I'll_ go visit the prisoner."

"Jay and I will stay here." Evie continued his thought, glancing at Jay, who shrugged, practically glowing with contentment.

"Then I'll go with Carlos." Mal smirked.

_As much as I hate to let you out of my sight, I know you aren't really a 'people person' M._ Evie cooed, slipping into the magic like she'd been doing it her whole life. Mal kissed her on the cheek and cracked her knuckles.

"Time to go have a _chat_." The Fae smirked, and Carlos grinned at her. They were the most bloodthirsty of the group after all, even in this time of peace and plenty, and the anticipation arced between them like invisible lightning. They shared in it together.

As they stalked off to the dungeon (it was like they were back on the isle with how easily they slipped back into their sharp edges and tense shoulders), Jay offered Evie his hand, and she took it with a knowing smile.

"Well, my dear, shall we dance?" He asked, and the queen giggled.

"We shall."

As Jay swirled Evie around for a waltz ( _it was like the prince her mother wanted, in the man Evie never thought she'd desire_ ), Carlos and Mal were entering a tiny little cell, ready to do an entirely different kind of dance. As Carlos DeVil stepped into the room, his eyes widened at the sight of the prisoner, someone he hadn't thought about for weeks now, and the building anticipation fizzled out like a candle in a rainstorm.

"... Diego...?" He asked quietly, tilting his head in confusion.

"Wait, this is your cousin?" Mal asked, stepping into the cell after him, and closing the door.

"What are doing sneaking around, Diego?" Carlos asked. "If I had know you were in Auradon, I would have welcomed you!"

"Where the _fuck_ is _my_ little brother?" Diego hissed, lunging at Carlos as he jumped across the table. Mal pushed back with her magic, and pinned him to the adjacent wall as a small dagger fell to the floor.

"Stabbing my best friends is _not_ a great way to get on my good side." Mal purred as he struggled, and she magically wrapped an invisible hand around his throat.

"Don't hurt him too much," Carlos interrupted. "He's still my cousin after all."

"Bold words for a fuckin' _traitor_!" Diego snarled as soon as Mal let up the magic enough for him to breathe again.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Carlos asked, visibly confused.

"As soon as you took your army from the Isle, things got real bad, real quick." Diego muttered, and when Mal released him, he slumped against the wall, rubbing at his throat tenderly. "I was barely able to escape the bloodbath with my life."

"Bloodbath?" Mal asked, glaring at the prisoner as she stalked forward.

"The fight for the Isle after the power vacuum _you_ left behind, _your highness_." The elder DeVil rolled his eyes.

"We thought... All predictions showed that anyone who wanted to survive would make their way back to the mainland." Carlos muttered, thinking so hard (and loudly) that Mal had to focus on pushing him out of her thoughts so the stream of consciousness wouldn't drive her insane. Was this what it was like to be Carlos, She wondered, always blurting out thoughts and ideas, turning and twisting them, and connecting the dots with a million things at once when he got that vacant state he wore?

"You obviously forgot what the worst of the scum is capable of." Diego muttered. "When I last checked, Captain Hook was in charge."

"Hook? I thought he would've taken to sea immediately after the barrier fell." Mal commented, watching the prisoner's reaction closely.

"Uma and Harriet took all the fleets when they left. He's a pirate without a crew now, and no ship to plunder with." Carlos' cousin seemed more than a little satisfied at that thought.

"Perfect candidate to take the Isle." Carlos added in a quiet voice. "Think about it, Clayton is too drunk to care, Gaston and his wife left on the bridge and the Tremaine sisters wouldn't stand a chance. Hook might not have had any competition at all, save drug lords and gang leaders."

"Tell us more about what's going on with the Isle." Mal ordered, feeling just a bit guilty about what had happened when they left. If this was what being a hero meant, she wasn't sure she was up to the task. Every move they made would have a ripple effect on the world around them.

"I think I've told you enough." Diego smirked, before glaring bitterly at Carlos. "Now what did you do to Juan?"

"Like most of the other children from the Isle, he got adopted by a good Auradon family. I vetted them myself." Carlos explained.

"Who are they!? Tell me!" Diego ordered, and Mal used her magic to confine him again. She was half afraid he'd try to jump, even without his dagger.

"You can't tell _my_ _ **king**_ what to do." Mal hissed, eyes glowing dangerously. Diego merely smirked, glancing from his cousin to the livid young woman and back again.

" _Your_ king, is he? Interesting..."

Mal glared, hating herself for feeling so damn protective over all of them, for revealing her hand so easily. Carlos was cool as ever, and raised an eyebrow at his cousin.

"In any case, I can't just _tell_ you." The white-haired man replied coldly.

"And why the hell _not_?" The boy with a wicked mess of black curly hair replied with a growl.

"You lost all chance to be a part of his life when you abandoned him with his abusive father." Carlos glared right back, and even took a few intimidating steps towards the captive. "Now that Juan DeVil has found a loving family, I won't let you storm in and disrupt it."

"He's my little brother!" Diego practically sobbed. "I only left him long enough to get work, so that I could find my way back to him and be able to take care of us!"

"After you abandoned him, you _never_ came back!" Carlos retorted.

"Once you killed our ass of a father, I didn't see the need to! I barely had enough cash to take care of myself anyway, and I wouldn't take him from a place where he was safe!" Diego shouted back, and the sheer force of his emotions almost shook Mal's magic, even though _this_ branch of the DeVil family was almost certainly without magic.

"And you think you can do a better job now?" Carlos scoffed. "Juan DeVil has been placed with two loving parents and an adult brother and sister who adore him. Those parents live in a Charmington cottage with two German Shepherds and a Dalmation, and a whole farm full of animals that he _loves_."

"He has the childhood we never got, Diego." Carlos whispered now, leaning forward, so that his cousin could see what this meant to him, see what this dream meant to Juan.

"My god." Diego muttered, looking suddenly crestfallen. " _Please_ tell me you aren't talking about the freakin' _Radcliffes_."

"Who?" Carlos asked, but his face already revealed the truth. He was shocked that Diego had figured it out, and 'who?' wasn't really a great excuse anyway. How could any son of _Cruella DeVil_ excuse not knowing who Anita and Roger Radcliffe were?

"Oh fuck. You are, aren't you?" The older man shook his head, glaring even harder now. "They _stole_ my mother's half of the company!"

Carlos knew what he was talking about, of course. His mother had told him the story often enough, and he heard it again at the rare family reunions. When the mad, mad fashion-mogul was shipped off to the Isle, the court had honored her wishes, and distributed half of the company she shared with Anita to Cruella's sister, Petrona. But the younger DeVil sister simply didn't have the flair for fashion that Cruella did, and struggled to maintain profits.

This part of the story got a little fuzzy, but the version Carlos had been told growing up was this: Late one night, Anita visitied Petrona and offered to buy her half of the company, since it was obvious she wasn't doing well with it. Diego's mother refused, as she was simply trying to hold onto the company until her sister was exonerated (she believed it would happen, and Anita was pushing for it at the very moment). Then Mrs. Radcliffe offered to make a deal - she would sign a contract, stating that she would merely hold the company shares until Cruella returned from the Isle (hopefully to a mental hospital) and was judged competent by a court.

This was a good solution, since Petrona had no idea what she was doing (and the contract was legally binding) so she agreed. But then appeal after appeal fell through, and the courts ruled, finally, with a statement that if Cruella DeVil was competent enough to create such an elaborate scheme as she did, she was competent enough to serve her time. It became obvious that Petrona and her husband and young son were never getting their shares of the company back.

The contract said that Anita only had to wait for Cruella, but her sister tried to get it back as the next-of-kin. Roger retorted that Carlos (who'd just been born) was the true next-of-kin, and when they adopted him (it was their _new_ doomed petition to the crown), they'd give it to _him_ when he came of age.

"They didn't steal it from your parents, Diego." Carlos shook his head sadly. "Anita would have gladly handed over the shares if she had any indicator that Aunt Petrona wouldn't run it into the ground."

"They were sent to the Isle for trying to take it back!" Diego cried out, tearing up, because he realized the truth in Carlos' story.

"They were sent to the Isle for corporate espionage." Carlos replied. He knew. He'd read all the court records pertaining to the Radcliffes before he let Juan anywhere near them. "The court sent you to a prison colony rather than separate you from your parents as a toddler."

"They... They ruined our lives." Diego whispered, and Carlos realized he meant the Charmington courts now, not Roger and Anita. He couldn't agree more.

"I know. But now I'm fixing things the best way I can, and that starts by giving Juan the best life possible." Carlos explained.

Mal finally released Diego entirely, convinced he wasn't going to stab her or something.

"So all this drama because you wanted to visit your brother?" Mal sighed. "And I didn't even get to punch anything."

"I'd beg to differ." Diego replied flippantly, but his voice indicated it was more of a joke than an insult.

"Pfft, magic doesn't count." Mal rolled her eyes.

"So," Carlos smiled now, his rare grin. "Let's set up a date for you two to reunite, yeah?"

"Y-yeah. After Mom died and Dad got all... Dangerous..." The young man trailed off, swallowing hard. "Well, I'm the only close family he has now."

"Family isn't always about blood." Mal chimed in, leaning against the cell wall.

"Let me show you to a room in the castle." Carlos grinned, extending his hand for the other to grab onto, and rise up from the floor.


	40. Chapter 40

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Ever since the last interlude I've been really been hung up on how Hadie is very much a girl's name. After all, I always prefer to use canon names for Descendants, and in the last story, I solidified Hadrian's character a bit. After much deliberation, I finally realized what to do with it, and I hope you all enjoy. Please let me know if I do a poor job. I'll probably do a more in-depth interlude about their character in the future.

* * *

"So now that graduation is over, what's next?" Evie asked aloud, and couldn't hide the boredom through their magical connection. They were all relaxing on a bed together, as was the habit these days. It was a week after the ball, a week after their first awakening, and the four found that they hated being apart even more than before. Before the magic laced between them like the red strings of fate, the two couples each lived in a private apartment, linked to each other by a sitting room in between. They always took breakfast in their joined sitting room - it was comfortable and casual, nothing like the elaborate dining hall that they never used (Even Belle and Beast hadn't used this hall on a daily basis. They took their meals in a smaller dining room off the east wing).

Now that they were connected by magic, they hated being apart, even to sleep, and so this morning, Evie asked the question as they all lounged together on a lazy morning, in various states of undress.

 _Arranged the meeting with my cousins, no new business._ Carlos explained, in a rapid-fire stream of thought, as he was known to do, now that their connection was more familiar and steady. He was busy reading - probably some report from his science minions about a new invention.

"We could take a tour of the kingdom," Jay suggested, glancing up from the TV and the recent Tourney highlights. "Like, the whole place. Every member state, every province."

 _Inspections_ Mal thought, leaning forward to touch Evie's thigh (it was easier to share thoughts and emotions when they were touching, so Mal took every excuse to brush against her now) _We'll make sure everything is running smoothly.  
_  
 _No one will get hurt in our kingdom_. Carlos added, pressing a kiss to Evie's forehead, then leaning back into Jay's embrace as he continued reading from a tablet.

 _We'll know about every country within our borders_. Jay concluded, curling his bare arm around Carlos' neck, and the other slung around Mal's hip. Brushing against her one tattoo, a swirling rune that meant power - a rune she'd given herself at fourteen, before she understood what it meant (even though it was so _perfect_ for her).

It was decided then - the only thing left to do was to appoint a trusted advisor to run the country while they were gone, and Jane was the obvious choice.

Now that they were off the Isle, Jane had gone back to her beautiful chestnut hair color. But she'd used her magic to give it more volume and curl, and she looked like a true beauty these days. Of course, she didn't really change anything but her hair. The thing that made Jane beautiful was her attitude: her serene outlook on life, her new self-confidence, and her kind heart. The secret keeper of their court was busy when Mal visited her, but Jane was _always_ busy, without exception. If she wasn't doing something for the upkeep and smooth running of their kingdom, she was working on the archive, that sacred black book that was bound in dragon hide, and which transferred the history of the Fae from one secret keeper to another.

The thing that made this visit different: was that Diaval, usually either grooming himself as a bird or reading as a human, was stretched out on Jane's office couch, dozing.

"What happened to your familiar?" Mal asked, shooting the man a side glance as he kept sleeping. It was well known that Maleficent's former familiar was Jane's now. He'd bonded with her almost instantly, as soon as he was awoken from his slumber when the barrier fell. They had a lot in common, both of them secret keepers, and at the time, they were both trying to adapt to a new life (Jane with her magic, and Diaval with a world that no longer held his mistress).

"It's very hard to deal with being able to do magic again." Jane explained. "He was in a magical sleep for almost twenty years, and the world has changed so much."

She added her next words in a bit of a whisper, blushing slightly. "Plus, he's _ever_ so young for a Fae, like me and you. He's linked to my life force now, as a familiar, and we're trying to find a good balance."

"Well I didn't come to talk about familiars, although it's very interesting." Mal began, taking a seat across from Jane's desk. "We're beginning a tour of the United Kingdoms, Evie and Jay, and Carlos, and I."

"I am perfectly capable of running the capital in your absence, Queen." Jane smiled.

"Honestly, I wasn't expecting that." Mal chuckled. "Sometimes I still see you as that scared little Auradon kid who wanted to learn magic, and I forget that you're a powerful faerie now."

"I've come a long way since my impulsive visit to the Isle, huh?" Jane laughed, sighing happily as she thought about the years that had gone by.

"Well, if that's how you feel, I suppose I should inform you that our first stop is Charmington. We're going to call up the Tremaines, and see what we can do to improve public image." Mal explained. Charmington was a kingdom of little strife, especially now that three Isle Descendants were in charge of the place, but they were planning to do massive parades and meet-and-greets for all the kingdoms they visited.

"Kiss some babies for me!" Jane called out with laughter, as Mal left the office, rolling her eyes and laughing.

Next came packing and cleaning, getting ready for the big tour, and putting the last steps in place to keep everything running smoothly while they were gone. Almost everything was very hands-off, and now that things were settled, Mal didn't even need to accept petitions anymore. She still did, of course, but fewer and fewer requests came in every day now.

"I'm so excited for the first parade!" Evie exclaimed, cheerfully packing their formal clothes in garment bags.

Even Mal, who usually hated public events, was also looking forward to their introduction parade in Charmington. It was very traditional in that kingdom, and Ella and Charles were known for throwing lavish events for all occasions. Antoine had almost entirely gutted those traditions to save money (the previous rulers were both wasteful, and perilously close to debt at all times, apparently). But this parade was meant to raise morale, and so the cost was entirely supported by Mal's treasury. Not for the first time, the girl counted her blessings that Belle and Beast were _prudent_ with their riches.

They were planning to arrive with their honor guard all around them, which was a bit hard to work out, logistically. They hadn't used the honor guard uniforms since the beginning of Mal's observation period in Auradon, and over half of them had left to rule their own kingdoms after the coup. They were left with three of the original guard: Clay, who'd come back after he failed to find and kill Tarzan, and the elder Gaston brothers, who didn't really have anywhere to go back to. Hunter (the son of Hans), and Hadrian (child of Hades) had decided to sign up after the war, mostly from a lack of better things to do.

"I'd like to make my own reputation and power," Hunter had explained, with his auburn hair touseled and swept across his brow.

"I'm just bored." Hadrian had rolled his eyes, and smoothed back his flaming hair with a cold grey hand. "While I wait for my old man to kick the bucket, I might as well do something with my youth, right?"

He said such a callous thing with a teasing twinkle in his eye. Hades and Persephone were arguably the best parents on the Isle, and everyone knew it.

The last member of the honor guard was also the only girl, Mad Maddie, who didn't really have any desire to rule Camelot (her grandmother, Mad Madam Mim, really hadn't wanted to rule it either).

So the parade would carry the four rulers of Auradon in an open carriage, with the full honor guard in all their shadowy regalia around them, and girls throwing light red and deep violet rose petals all around them, over the ground on which the carriage passed. They planned to throw candy to the children in the crowd, and wave graciously like the Kings and Queens they had always been, even back on the Isle when they were nothing but killers and thieves.

They rode by car, the very same limousine that in another life, would have taken them to Auradon prep. On the morning of the departure, they all stepped into the car with their chosen breakfast drinks. Mal preferred chilled chai tea with lots of milk and sugar. Jay liked his coffee black, with no creamer, and just a dash of sweetness. Even though she'd gotten a lot better about obsessing over her looks, Evie still preferred to use artificial sweeteners with her green tea.

"It's good for you." She'd explained to Mal once, who merely wrinkled her nose at the smell of it.

Carlos, of course, had chocolatey, chocolatey, coffee. It was some kind of fancy frozen stuff with loads of sugar and chocolate syrup and cocoa powder, and who knew what else?

"Checking in, your highnesses." A blue-haired woman dressed in an honor guard uniform peeked in through the rolled-down window. With grey skin, and hair that looked like softly rolling flames, anyone would have sworn that this was Hadrian's identical twin, but female.

 _So she's Hadie today, huh?_ Mal thought, as she nodded and replied with an all-clear.

To say that Mad Maddie was the only girl in the honor guard was still technically accurate. The child of Hades and Persephone considered themselves genderfluid, Hadrian one day and Hadie the next, and sometimes someone in between. Auradon had wrought changes in all of them, and even though gods could use an awful lot of magic behind the barrier, shapeshifting magic was not available to them. Thus, Hadrian had waited until after the coup to come out, so that his body could reflect the gender he felt that day.

 _The only one who knew about it on the Isle was Hunter_ , Carlos added mentally. It had been pretty common knowledge on the Isle that they were going steady, and when Hadie came out, Carlos was happy that Hunter still wanted the relationship. The child of Hans had known about his partner's _feelings_ , but having a body that matched those feelings was quite a bit different, and Hadie had been worried about a breakup (a breakup that Hans enthusiastically said would never happen). It meant a lot to Carlos that the god was happy, having been the one to help him discover his true heritage as a demi-god.

"You're looking beautiful today, Hadie." Evie commented from the back, waving past Mal with her usual flirtatious smile.

"It's hard work, looking this fabulous." The god winked as she replied, and tapped the roof of the limo, giving the driver permission to start the engine and take off. The honor guard was following in a second car, but it wasn't a very intimidating entourage. They were out on a friendly campaign, after all, and were trying to go for a less-militant travel option, to seem more approachable to the people of Charmington, a notoriously stubborn lower class who had mostly hated the last regime.

* * *

While the four departed for the first stop on their tour of Auradon, Diego DeVil made his way through the castle, long after his cousin had left for Charmington.

It still felt like too much for him some days - too impersonal, too _luxurious_ , too rich and shiny and new - compared to the old squalor he was used to on the Isle. He typically avoided this castle like the plague and his little brother was the _only_ reason he was here today. Today was the day Diego saw Juan again, for the first time in five years.

Down the hallway, last door to the right, and he arrived at the second-floor conference room. Filled with plush couches and smooth-topped cherry wood tables, it felt more like a sitting room then a meeting room, and it seemed suited for a long-standing family reunion. A minute ticked past, then two, and Diego felt frustrated. He felt humiliated and anxious, where were they? He wasn't prepared to meet the kind couple who would surely accompany Juan to the castle - that pretty and clever Anita who held his family's money, and the indirect reason he was sent to the Isle.

The person who stepped through the door washed all his doubts and fears away in less than an instant.

"Diego!" Juan shouted, running towards his long-lost brother with a screech of happiness. Diego had stood from the couch to greet him, but the force of his brother's hug sent him sprawling back on the couch with a grunt.

"You won't believe what happened, bro! I've had so much fun in Auradon!" Juan exclaimed, starting to rattle off a list of the things he'd done since he arrived. Diego missed part of it as soon as he looked up, meeting eyes with a young blonde in the doorway. He'd expected Roger and Anita, but not this beautiful young woman in a plaid skirt and cardigan. Since they'd adopted Juan, Diego was under the impression that the Radcliffes didn't have kids of their own, but that theory was thrown out as soon as he saw this softly smiling angel who must have been Anita's daughter.

"My parents had to go off on a last-minute emergency, but we didn't want to postpone your reunion." She said, smiling brightly towards Juan, who jumped up to introduce them.

Ah, as he'd suspected, Anita and Roger definitely didn't want to meet him. They probably thought he was a worse villain than his parents were.

"Diego, this is Laura Radcliffe! She's super nice!" Juan explained, beaming proudly about his adoptive sister. "She can play piano, and sew clothing, and she's real good with animals!"

"Animals, huh?" Diego chuckled quietly. Some things never changed, apparently.

"Our parents run an animal sanctuary, where we take in disabled or other 'less-adoptable' critters." Laura explained, and Diego noticed how she said 'our parents', including Juan in her quaint little family. He wasn't sure whether to be happy for his brother, or hurl at the sugary cuteness of it.

"Not just dogs either!" Juan added, excitedly. "We have cute chickens who don't lay eggs anymore, and an old horse named Dusty, and a one-eyed cat named Anne-Bonnie who purrs at me every morning!"

Secretly, Diego had been hoping to challenge the law and get custody of his brother back, but Juan sounded so... Happy. He was in an environment that he truly seemed to love - how could Diego take that away from him?

"Shall we go get something to eat? It's my treat." Laura interrupted his thoughts with the question, and Juan started listing off foods he wanted, dishes Diego had never even heard of.

Well. He'd never been one to turn down a free meal, and he wasn't about to start now.


	41. Chapter 41

The Royal carriage arrived on the parade route with a spray of fragrant rose petals from all directions. For a moment, it obscured Mal's view, and she nearly panicked.

_We're safe now._ Evie comforted, through the bond of magic that made them more than the sum of their parts. _We're the heroes, and heroes never get unhappy endings._

_We won._

Jay added, smirking.

_We won, and we love you_. Carlos finalized the thought, and such a rush of love came over her that Mal believed everything was going to be alright

"Sorry guys." Mal replied out loud, though in a low voice as she kept her smile for the crowds. "I guess that false alarm with Diego freaked me out a bit."

"Oh, oh!" Evie squealed with excitement. "The orphanage kids are coming up!"

Sure enough, the carriage and accompanying horses and guards came upon rows of small children among the crowds. As planned, the parade slowed to a stop, and Evie stepped down from the high carriage with the help of a guard, cooing and smiling at the children.

_God, she'd make such a perfect mother_. Mal thought, careful not to project it to the others as she kept her thoughts hidden behind a high wall - it was followed by a vast chasm of sorrow, and a second, sharp realization, as sharp as a blade in her stomach.

_I can't give that to her._

Mal kept it carefully hidden from her thoughts and expression as she waved at the kids from her high seat in the carriage. Jay had gotten off with Evie, and now he was picking up children with those rippling arms of his, and setting them on his shoulders or holding them upside down as they giggled.

_He'd make a good father too._ Mal thought, and she wasn't as careful with that thought. Carlos chuckled next to her.

"He would, wouldn't he?" The young man chuckled. Then he caught the current of sorrow and dismay as it seeped from Mal like the smell of smoke. Like the kind from Cruella's cigarettes, that can't be covered up with cheap perfume or washed out of clothing with any detergent they had on the isle. No matter how much you tried to hide it, it was still smoke.

"You okay?" He asked, scooting closer.

"I'm fine, Carlos." Mal replied, forcing herself to get ahold of her emotions. "I'm still just a little freaked out about security."

The emotions didn't match up, until Carlos thought about it.

"Oh, this is about Ben, isn't it?" He asked. How else could she feel sorrowful when thinking about security?

Mal hadn't been thinking about Ben of course, but she wasn't ready to talk to Carlos about... Whatever _this_ was, so she rolled with it for the time being.

"... Yeah. I'm sorry." She swallowed. Talking about it still sent a shock of guilt through her body, like twisting a knife further inside her, deepening the cut made by thinking about Evie not needing her anymore.

"Don't be sorry, just let it roll over you, and accept it." Carlos explained. "Jane told me that once. You can't just pretend your emotions don't exist, or feel bad about feeling them."

"I can if I'm a queen." Mal joked. "I can do whatever I want."

"Yeah right. Good thing you've got _us_ to knock you down a peg." Jay added, laughing, as he climbed back into the carriage, and offered a hand to Evie.

"Who's knocking _whom_?" The blue-haired queen asked with an innocent grin as she sat down.

"Me. I'm gonna knock Jay out of the carriage if he doesn't stop hogging the seat," Carlos play-shoved the other man with a chuckle.

"Now is that any way to treat your husband?" Jay laughed, artfully flashing his wedding band as he pulled Carlos into a rough hug.

"Hey, watch the outfit!" Evie exclaimed. "It's such a pain to dry clean that suit!"

"Aw, take it easy, blueberry." Mal laughed, deliberately messing with Evie's hair. Instead of screeching like she used to, the girl merely pulled out her spellbook from her clutch, and cast a spell to secure her hair as it should be.

"Nice try, M. I know your dirty tricks!" Evie teased, looking haughty about her victory.

It was almost just like being back on the Isle, teasing each other and shoving your friends. They played too roughly than Auradon kids ever did but Evie still paused to wave goodbye to the children, who screamed with happiness and waved back as the carriage left their sight.

"I hope the reporters didn't catch that." Mal sighed.

"Who cares?" Jay laughed. "We're the Kings and Queens of Auradon. They can't say anything bad about us."

"That's unethical." Carlos interrupted. "A free country relies on a free press."

"But we shouldn't be scrutinized for every little thing we do!" Jay retorted.

"That's kind of what we signed up for, Jay." Evie added her own opinion to the mix.

"Ugh. The free press can go fuck itself." Mal sighed, and at that exact moment, a flash went off, catching her in a most unflattering shot.

"Oh no!" Evie gasped, covering her eyes.

"That's _definitely_ going in the tabloids." Carlos gulped.

* * *

Mal had never actually been to a parade before now, but she was glad when this one was over.

"I never want to see another carriage float as long as I live." The Queen of Auradon sighed, looking drained of all life.

"I hate to be the one to break it to you..." Evie began.

"We were planning to have parades for all the major stops." Jay finished, stripping off his jacket and folding it over a shoulder.

"Kill me now please." Mal groaned. "Just take a knife. And stab me with it."

"Now, that's not a very nice way to treat your host." Antoine Tremaine noted, knocking lightly on the door as he strode in, with Daria just behind him.

"Hello everyone!" Evie chirped brightly, always ready to see an old friend (because even if they never said the word on the Isle, that's what they were).

"Greetings, your hignesses." Daria bowed teasingly. "Ginny couldn't make it, unfortunately. She's been busy lately, what with Anne-Marie causing havoc and her fixing the shambles of our treasury."

"She and the little ankle-biter will be joining us for dinner." Antoine explained with amusement, and no lack of clear pride.

"Being the national head of the Treasury Department, I might be able to help with your money problems." Jay added, cracking his knuckles.

"Thank evil." Daria groaned. "Dear Auntie Ella and _Uncle Chuck_ have left a mess of loopholes and bureaucracy a mile wide."

As Antoine led Jay to meet up with Ginny Gothel, Daria took the other three on a tour of the castle. It was much like the Auradon castle, but much more lavish, although Daria pointed out a whole host of changes they'd made since they arrived. The Tremaines had converted a whole wing of unused guest rooms into servant's quarters, and sold off unknown tons of useless furniture, from gold plated chairs, to jeweled clocks. One of the crowning pieces was the war room, which boasted a fanciful table carved from a whole round section of tree, and hand-crafted chairs with leather deer-skin seats.

"We specially commissioned some craftsmen from the village to do this." Daria explained, indicating the new furniture. "This was a tea room before, and we traded the villagers the old table and chair set in exchange for the work."

One of the issues Cinderella and Charming had never quite figured out, was how to liquidize unnecessary assets. They just hung onto all their old furniture (and china, and silverware, and rugs) when they got new sets, leaving tons of unused expensive furniture wasting away in storage rooms and attic lofts. Ella might have known to try selling off unwanted sets, but Charles always made a point of keeping her away from the finances.

"What did the evil stepsisters think of that?" Carlos asked with a smirk.

"Oh, mom and aunty nearly had a fit." Daria laughed. "But this crown was bestowed on me by Mal, and _no one_ can dispute that. We do what we want with the furnishings, and our mothers are lucky to still be alive."

Even though no one ever said it so bluntly, everyone knew it was true: a lot of parents had died during the coup, and the years leading up to it. A lot of parents had fallen prey to the child-soldiers they'd helped create, and the two Tremaine cousins had arranged to have their own grandmother killed. So, not unlike the Evil Queen, the abusive and foul-tempered stepsisters had best keep quiet, for despite their views on furniture (and the tiny detail that Antoine and Daria were married, and _cousins_ ) it was only their children's good will that kept them in such fine room and board.

Before dinner, they all went their separate ways, and Evie cryptically left Mal with a kiss, saying that she had a special phone call to make. Jay was still helping Ginny in the treasury, and Carlos had to answer some emails from the underlings who built his gadgets back home in the lab. So for the first time in what seemed like ages, Mal was alone.

And she _hated_ it.

* * *

Evie hung up with a faint smirk, after having Jane patch her through to the journalist's guild. They couldn't control the media. They couldn't intimidate the press.

But if there was one thing her mama taught her, it was that a little bribery goes a long way. It wasn't certain that anyone else could have pulled it off, but Evie was the best in the _world_ when it came to diplomacy. When tomorrow's papers hit the shelves, there would be not a trace of Mal's unflattering portrait in any of the respected rags, and unflattering photos were the _only_ reason people read tabloids in Auradon anyway. It wouldn't affect her reputation. And if anyone heard what Mal said, it was quietly shoved under the rug, and hidden from publication. Was it entirely ethical? Nope. But it wouldn't hurt anyone too badly, and it would make her beloved wife happy. That was what Evie cared about.

That business done, she slipped the phone into her handbag, and went off to talk with Daria. She'd been thinking about this for a while now, and wanted to talk about it in private, hopefully with Daria by herself. She was waiting in the second-floor sitting room, as explained via text message, and the Tremaine cousin spoke first.

"So, how's my little sister doing?" The girl asked, blowing bangs out of her face as she set aside her phone.

"I spoke with her at the graduation ball." Evie answered, smiling. "Did you know she's going out with Claudine Frollo now?"

"Yep." Daria smirked. "I don't know which was more surprising, that Diz has magic, or the church mouse came outta the closet."

"Speaking of relationships, can I talk to you about yours?" Evie expertly led the conversation, and took it as a good sign when she didn't see any negative emotion on Daria's face.

"Ask away." The queen replied, still lightly smirking.

"Is it common knowledge here that you and Antoine are cousins?" Evie asked as gently as possible.

"Oh yeah. Rulers in Charmington don't commonly intermarry, but it isn't unheard of. It was the whole _triad_ thing that they had a hard time with." Daria rolled her eyes, looking subtly pissed off. "For the longest time, they thought Ginny was Antoine's mistress or something. Once, at a parliament meeting, I got fed up of it and shouted 'she's my wife too, damnit!'"

"It went over about as well as you'd expect." She added finally, sighing. Evie clucked sympathetically, though the image of the more agressive of the Tremaine cousins screaming at old men in powdered wigs was hilarious.

"So that leads to my next question," Evie began, after they'd both gotten out the chuckles that couldn't stay inside. "Have you considered having children with Antoine yourself? From what I've read, first generation cousins aren't likely to get any severe birth defects."

"I'm actually glad you brought that up." Daria sighed, turning to look out the window, at the spring robins playing on the expansive lawn. "So far we've been _reeeeal_ careful with each other. Because if our _dear_ departed Granny can be believed, we aren't the first generation of Tremaines to intermarry."

"I see..." Evie mused.

"Here's the thing though, remember how I mentioned that past rulers were also in the same boat?" Daria continued when Evie nodded. "Well the Auradon-wide ban on magic happened _long_ after people discovered the effects of inbreeding and genetics, so I have it on good authority that several kings in the past used a certain potion that prevented birth defects in the royal family."

It was... Groundbreaking. Evie's scientific mind reeled with the possibility. If the potion merely terminated a pregnancy once birth defects appeared in the fetus, it wouldn't be terribly revolutionary, just an alteration on the abortive potion Evie had brewed so many times on the Isle. But if the potion could actually _change_ the baby's dna, repairing damaged cells, or fixing tweaked markers... It would be a huge discovery for science.

"I have to see that spell." Evie grinned, already feeling invigorated at the prospect of a mental challenge.

"I figured you'd say that." Daria smirked. "Luckily, I have a copy in the Royal Library."

* * *

By the time dinner rolled around, Mal was practically aching with depression, and almost too apathetic to hide it from the three who shared her heart. But she gave herself a not-so-peppy pep-talk and pulled herself together, to keep from worrying them. She'd already messed up once, in the carriage, and could only hope that no one heard what she'd said (it was political suicide to condemn the Auradon press, no matter how much she hated being analyzed like a bug under a microscope). She could make an example of them with a snap of her fingers, and it was so, so tempting.

But that was something _Maleficent_ would do, and from the moment Mal set out to kill her, she swore to never be like her mother.

She was still worried sick about what happened before that, too, about how she was holding Evie back, and how they would never have a baby with _her_ beautiful blue hair and Mal's green eyes. About how Evie was so close to Jay and Carlos and Doug now, and Mal still loved her more than anyone in the whole wide world. Evie was her _true love_ , even after Ben fell head over heels for her, even after they fell into bed with Jay and Carlos, and two pairs of lovers became one heart, split in fourths.

All of this emotion was rolling around inside of her like a maelstrom, the perfect storm of anxiety and despair that was the sort of thing which could bring down rulers and kingdoms, and empires. It was only that thought, the thought that Mal had gotten this far, only to be halted by her own emotions, that kept her going and kept her hiding it, but at dinner, everyone noticed, even though they didn't say anything.

"Thank evil I have a nanny for dinner time." Ginny had laughed, as they ate and made small talk. "Anne-Marie gets more food on herself than in her stomach."

When she saw the way Evie's eyes lit up at that, the pit sank deeper into Mal's stomach, like everything around them led back to babies and how great they were. The cloud hung over her like a black storm, ominous and rolling, until that night, when Evie, Jay, and Carlos followed her to her room, and cornered her about it, with faces that were determined and loving.

"Mal," Evie began, radiating feelings of love that overpowered the dread. "We need to talk."


	42. Chapter 42

As the royal carriage rolled through the streets of Oceania, Mal plastered a smile on her face and waved automatically as she thought back to the events of last night. As trumpets sounded and petals flew everywhere, she cast her mind back to that conversation with the other three.

* * *

"We need to talk." Evie had said, calmly but firmly, letting Mal know she couldn't back out of it.

What should she say? How should she begin?

"Something's been bothering you, and we can all see it." Carlos explained, before quietly pleading with her. "Please don't lock us out, Mal. I couldn't bear it."

"We're a part of you, you're a part of us." Jay added, stepping forward to wrap Mal in his arms, as she broke down and started to cry. "When you hurt, we all feel it."

"So let us share the burden, Mal." Evie smiled sadly as she joined the hug, so that Mal was flanked on both sides. Carlos wasn't much of a hugger, but he put his hand on Mal's shoulder in comfort.

"I - I just don't know what to do." Mal sobbed out. "I know I'm twenty-one, but I still feel like such a kid! I can't handle the pressure."

"Of course you can't." Evie clucked disapprovingly. "That's why the magic brought us together, remember?"

Jay, who had been initially shocked and confused by Evie's words, caught on to the gist of what she was saying, and made his own observation.

"Yeah, we complement each other perfectly, and compensate for any losses." The son of Jafar explained, holding Mal tighter as she cried.

"But we can't do that if you don't let us, Mal." Carlos murmured. "The magic took away even the need to use words. It clearly doesn't want us to shut ourselves off."

"You're right." Mal sobbed. "You're so right, I'm sorry for worrying you."

Perhaps sensing something was still hidden, Evie kissed Mal's forehead, and breathed into her very soul, through the magic bond, a single sentence:

_No more secrets_

And Mal could hold nothing back from her, because they were one soul, true lovers of a kind that are seen only once in a generation ( _twice_ this time, because Jay and Carlos were too, and what better omen could there ever be than that?)

Mal was Evie, and Evie was Mal, and they were a part of each other's mind in the most _pure_ communion, the next evolution of their psychic bond.

 _You don't need me anymore,_ Mal thought with a wave of absolute sorrow, and it tasted like a not-nearly-ripe apple to Evie, so bitter it made your cheeks pucker, the kind of bitterness that made your tongue feel like ash.

 _I'll always need you_ , Evie thought in reply, crying tears of true sadness, enough to make ten or twenty love potions, and Mal thought idly in the back of her mind that it was wasteful - the part of her that remembered how hard it had been to get them on the Isle.

 _I never want to be alone again._ Mal thought, out of nowhere. Because for the past few days, even surrounded by people, she felt so alone when she didn't let them close to her. _I love you_.

Evie sent such a wave of agreement and passion, it would have swept Mal off of her feet if they were anywhere but their own minds. Sensing Mal's lingering insecurity, she smiled so warmly and softly and brightly, that she was Mal's sun in this empty mindspace.

 _I will love you until the end of time_. Evie whispered. Although they weren't speaking with _words_ , the cadence of Evie's feelings were like creamy coffee, smooth and sweet and warm _. I will love you until the stars fall, and the seas rise, and all of our kingdom burns. I will **still** love_ _you._

_I will_ **_always_ ** _love you, Mal Morgana, daughter of Maleficent. In any lifetime, in all worlds, in all of the lives we have lived, and all the lives to come, I will_ _**always** _ _love you._

They were of one mind then, both _so_ _in love_ that the magic must have decided they were ready to rejoin the world of the living, and they both came back to themselves with a quiet gasp.

"You guys okay? You just kinda... Dropped off the magic radar for a second there." Carlos swallowed hard, looking very concerned. Mal understood why. She'd gotten so used to having the other four inside her and enveloping her, she wasn't sure how she'd feel if they suddenly disappeared.

"More than okay." Evie whispered, smiling brightly and pressing her forehead to Mal's.

"I can't give you children." Mal murmured, quietly ashamed, her cheeks burning. Even the shame couldn't override her joy though, and Jay overheard, chuckling.

"Is that what this is about?" He laughed. "Are you gonna tell her E? Or should I?"

"I'm on birth control Mal." Evie grinned, laughing too, as she took in the look of confusion on her fairy's face. "I have been, ever since the first night with Carlos and Jay. If you recall, they both used condoms then, remember?"

"You... You don't want children?" Mal asked, dumbfounded and thrown off guard. "You would make such a wonderful mother."

"I don't want any children until we're ready, Mal. And then, we'll pick what's best for us. Adoption, a sperm donor, a surrogate - there's so many options for people like us here in Auradon." Evie crooned, smiling warmly, and it was the most comforting smile. Mal felt all the dread and fear and guilt rush out of her, like air from a balloon. She was a new woman.

(And Evie hadn't even mentioned the last option, something that she also kept secret from the four, ever since her talk with Daria. It wasn't because she was nervous, like Mal, but rather a _good_ secret, like a birthday surprise or a special plan you know they'll love.)

So now, a day later, Mal didn't even mind going to the parade through the streets of Oceana. She even did a good job with keeping her 'public face' on, as Evie called it. Back on the Isle, menacing was _good_. An intimidating expression could change the tide of a war, or stop disasters before they happened.

Here in Auradon, it was different. She had to keep reminding herself that these people were intimidated enough by her as it was, and nothing less than a radiant and gracious smile would work.

 _Benevolent, benevolent_. Mal thought to herself, calling to mind images of how Ben always acted, carrying himself with distinction and noble grace. She knew how to act, could remember it if she tried, and it helped her force back the irritation as her carriage meandered down the parade route. She'd had her annotated copy of _The Prince_ since she was five, with scribbled notes in the margins and sections highlighted, underlined, and bookmarked. _We're the noble invaders._ Mal thought to herself. _To this downtrodden lot, we're heroes, so it's better to appear more benevolent than tyrannical..._

But Oceania was not Charmington, and while the people of that nation were desperate, rising from the agony of generations of opulence and waste - the peasants of Oceania had actually liked Ariel and Eric. While the Prince's parents were terribly wasteful (even going so far as to commission a gold statue of their son for his eighteenth birthday) once Eric and Ariel took the throne, they were much better, and the people had been charmed by the naive and childlike wonder of their new queen. Also Mal hadn't even installed her own ruler in the nation, proclaming Ariel and Eric's eldest daughter, Melody as the new queen. She shouldn't have been so surprised when someone called out a jeer at the approach of the royal carriage.

"Boo! Murderer!" Someone called, hurling insults unseen from within the crowd.

 _E, what do we do about that?_ Mal asked mentally, keeping her smile in place.

 _Not certain. Keep your temper, but maybe stop smiling? I've never been booed by people I was trying to impress before_. Evie explained awkwardly.

"King Killer!" Someone else shouted, and a tomato flew from somewhere opposite the latest yell. "Invader!" "Murderer!" The insults kept coming.

 _They keep jeering you guys and I'm gonna_ _ **beat**_ _someone into the ground_. Jay hissed mentally, beginning to glare, despite himself.

 _Don't let them provoke you!_ Evie insisted through the bond, but everyone saw her flinch, and felt the sharp twang of suffering when someone yelled "Witch!" and "Whore!"

"That's it. Fuck this." Jay muttered, and jumped from the moving carriage, darting into crowd the as the other three stared after him in horror.

"Mal, don't let him kill anyone!" Evie called out, and Mal jumped to follow her violent King as he chased after the rabble rousers. She knew Evie well enough to know that she wanted to kill the protesters just as much as Mal did, but she'd much rather maintain their reputation if possible. And the head of the army was _not_ supposed to go around killing people who spoke out about him in _broad daylight_ at the very least.

Mal reached them right as a fight was breaking out - it was three of the naysayers against Jay, and Jay was _winning_. So like him, to beat the odds like always, although what did she expect from Auradonians? Even the poorest peasants lived a better life in Oceania than they did on the Isle. Before it could get too violent, Mal was engulfed in heatless dragon fire, and used her magic to freeze the critics in their tracks. Jay took a step back as soon as he got the chance, because he'd heard Evie tell him not to kill anyone, and he begrudgingly agreed. It didn't stop him from giving them a piece of his mind though, now that they weren't actively beating him.

"You have _no idea_ who we are! You have no idea why we follow Mal!" Jay shouted, lunging forward to emphasize his point, and smirking as the captive protesters flinched through the magic. "We grew up in _hell_! We killed King Adam because he _put us there_. We grew up alongside rapists and murderers, and there was never food that wasn't spoiled. Starvation was _constant_."

"I didn't even want to kill queen Ariel and king Eric." Mal chimed in, and Jay sent a signal of encouragement through their bond. _Yeah, tell them the truth, M_. He said firmly and silently.

"In order to help my people escape from the pit of disease and famine that we were born in, I had to make a deal with a pirate crew led by the daughter of Ursula." Mal chuckled bitterly.

"She wanted _revenge_ on the people who sent her to the Isle, and if I refused - not that I blame her, we _all_ wanted revenge - it would have started a war. A war with highly trained pirates who had everything to lose." Mal finished. "You people wouldn't stand a _chance_."

"Don't hate us for killing your former rulers." Jay added, licking a bloody lip and meeting the eyes of the man who called Evie a witch. "If anything, their sacrifice is the only thing keeping you peasants from being slaves on a pirate galley right now."

Mal released her prisoners and raised an eyebrow, waiting for a reply, an angry question, anything. Finally, when no words came, she relaxed a bit, and added a final comment.

"Go to your local archives, and see the footage of the Isle, before we took control." The fae queen spoke quietly. "Only _then_ can you judge me."

And with that, they left the crowd gawking, and strolled back to the carriage with stoic faces (though inside, they congratulated each other).

"Oh gods, what happened to you?" Evie exclaimed, dabbing Jay's face with a handkerchief as she fussed over them.

"Don't worry." Mal smirked. "We were good rulers, and used our words."

"Then why are your eyes glowing?" Evie raised an eyebrow, teasingly. "And why does Jay look like he ran into a brick wall?"

Having heard Mal recount the story to him mentally, Carlos chuckled, and said: "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can incite a riot."

Once Evie had heard the story, she smiled. "Now, _that's_ something that deserves to be reported. I can see the headlines now: _King Jay and Queen Mal tell off naysayers during parade_."

That night, they stayed at Melody's castle, and while Ariel's daughter was polite, and very accommodating, it wasn't nearly the same as staying in Charmington, although the lavish decor was familiar enough. It all came down to the fact that they'd been friends with the Tremaines all their childhood almost. Antoine and Daria were their first recruits for the Dragon Court before it had even existed, and Dizzy was everyone's little sister as much as she has Daria's.

And Melody? She was nothing to them but a pawn, someone to rule Oceania because Uma didn't want to. She'd been the only one of the Mariner children to pass the qualification exam to become a ruler (not that Adrian or Erin had tried). And when someone was barely a pawn, it was hard to imagine treating them like a friend. But Mal still tried her best, because Oceania was an important asset, and given what happened at the parade, it was important to make sure the woman was on their side. She was actually a little older than Mal and Evie (Melody was going on twenty-seven), and that made it even more awkward to be the one giving her orders.

But the notoriously music obsessed queen had called for her full chamber orchestra to play during dinner, so there was no need for awkward ice breakers and dull conversation. Mal was grateful. But even though they'd kept their cool and defused a minor rebellion that day, she still felt mentally exhausted and not for the first time, felt a pang of homesickness.

"Does anyone else feel like we don't belong here?" Mal asked later that night, as they were all in bed together and trying to relax after the stressful day.

"Constantly." Jay murmured, resting his hands behind his head with a deep sigh. "Sometimes, it feels like I could _kill_ to be in a real fight. No holding back, no worries about my image. I miss getting bruised knuckles and breaking bones."

"It's been a _long_ time since I worked on my own projects." Carlos added, curling up closer to Jay, and speaking in a quiet voice. "I can't be head of security and King of Auradon _and_ an inventor at the same time. Dan the goblin is manager of my company now. I haven't seen the assembly room in weeks."

"You know what?" Mal interrupted, before Evie could comment that she missed dressmaking and potion brewing. "Once we're done with this tour, we should do it, everything we've missed for so long."

"Right!" Evie agreed vehemently. "The whole reason we started this trip was to fix what was broken in Auradon right?"

 _Oh! I see what you mean!_ Carlos chimed in mentally, almost before Evie had even finished speaking, and switched back to verbal communication with a quick shake of his head. "Once we fix everything that needs fixing, and make diplomatic visits to all the countries that make up Auradon, we can get back to our hobbies without interruption."

"And we'll have a big tournament to celebrate some new holiday. The last finalists will get the honor to take on King Jay in hand-to-hand combat!" Mal exclaimed, showing them the festival she envisioned, with faceless opponents battling it out in the arena, huge bets on all the fighters, with proceeds going to a local charity. And above it all, Jay. Standing victorious, spattered with blood and sand, and glowing in the late sunlight, strong and powerful, the way Mal always saw him.

Jay replied with a smirk, and showed them all his memory of Mal at the moment of the coup, wearing a lavender dress and her delicate crown, but still looking every inch like a conqueror. Through his eyes, Mal saw herself on the night after she killed her mother, addressing the army ( _her_ army) with bloodsoaked knees and wild hair that circled her head like a halo.

"That's how you see me?" Mal laughed. Even back in her teens, Jay thought she was beautiful.

"You're still my queen." Jay whispered, kissing Mal's knuckles.

"Always." Evie added as she hugged the other girl from behind.

"Silly girl." Carlos laughed, rolling his eyes. "You've always been the leader. Of course we admire you."

And Mal knew that though they were far from home, strangers in a strange land - her inner circle would always be there for her. They were her family, and nothing could ever change that. Her heart was split entirely into three pieces, and their names were written on each shard.

"I love you." She whispered, and they knew she meant all of them. It was in the glimmer of her eyes and the taste of her magic, and the emotion that rolled off of her like evening mist.

 _We know_. The answer came in three voices, three magical signatures, three souls who loved her very, very much.


	43. Chapter 43

The headlines for the next morning were completely glorious.

 **RIOTERS CAUSE FIGHT AT ROYAL PARADE** read the headline of the Seaport Times, and the byline added: **_Fight Prevented By Intervention of Queen Mal_** _._

"Ooh, read this editorial!" Evie exclaimed, shoving the paper at Jay and Mal to examine. Carlos was reading his own digital copy on a tablet, as it was his preferred daily news source.

"Editorial: The People's King." Jay read the title aloud. "'I was lucky enough to have been at the parade yesterday, and you've probably already heard about the ruckus that was created when a few young naysayers began hurling insults and slander at the royal cavalcade.'"

"I didn't see any reporters there when the fight happened. Did you, Jay?" Mal commented.

"He was probably in plainclothes." Evie noted. Jay continued reading the article.

"'It is, of course, the right of the people to excercise their free speech. But something that is often forgotten, is that the right to free speech comes with consequences. Put bluntly, if you insult someone, expect to invoke violence from the individual you're bullying.'" Jay paused for a second and laughed, handing the paper to Mal. "This is _hilarious_. I love this guy!"

Mal glanced over the editorial and continued from where the young man left off.

"'King Jay is in many ways, much like the people he rules over in Auradon. He keeps his temper, but when someone insults his friends (as when one _particular_ protestor shouted 'whore' in the direction of the two Queens, and Jay's husband, King Carlos)... He does what _any one of us_ would do to those who are cruel to our loved ones. He gives them a good sock to the nose!'"

Mal had to stop reading, she was laughing so hard. Wanting to get in on the action, Carlos read the next portion off his tablet, raising his voice over the sound of Mal's laughter and Jay's breathless chuckles.

"'Some might call it a bad thing, lack of decorum and whatnot.'" Carlos paused and glanced at Evie, who rolled her eyes and punched his arm. "'But I, dear readers, find it endearing. Could you imagine graceful, mild mannered King Adam, leaping into a roaring crowd of rioters? Gaining bloody knuckles for the sake of his family's honor?'"

Mal stopped laughing long enough to finish the article, and took a deep breath to read aloud.

"'No, King Jay is truly a king of the people, and as soon as the fight was subdued, he stepped back, allowing the Queen to finish the fight with her words, and not laying a single blow on the attackers while they were restrained. For more information about just what the Queen said to render them all silent, please see the main article.'"

"Go on, read the ending!" Evie prompted, and Mal simply passed her the paper, too breathless from laughing and surprise to use her words, and too sleepy to use her magic. Sighing, Evie smirked, and finished the article.

"'For now, dear readers, I leave you with this thought: All of our rulers have been properly trained, thanks to Queen Mal, and many of the new royalty were once peasants themselves. Shall we not give these former commoners a chance? They've given us new hope for a ruling government that understands poverty, and hunger, and fear. For the past four years, these children of the Isle brought nothing but improvements. Isn't it time we stopped judging them by the land of their birth?'" Evie finished reading, and set down the newspaper.

 _At least we have_ some _allies in Auradon_. Evie noted over the magic bond, feeling lightly amused and overall pleased at the new development.

 _We haven't even broken the law, technically,_ Carlos added, always the pragmatist. _The Rule of the Conqueror has always been a staple in Auradon, as our parents well knew._

 _Right._ Jay added, radiating satisfaction. _To the victor goes the spoils._

They stopped the silent conversation when Melody entered, announced by a footman, and fully dressed at eight-thirty in the morning. Mal felt _way_ under-dressed in her night clothes, even though they hadn't been expecting company for breakfast, and if anything, _Melody_ should be at fault for walking in on them without much warning.

"I hope breakfast was enjoyable." The young woman smiled gently, and stood with perfect posture as she awaited an answer.

"Delicious, just like dinner was, your highness." Evie replied, always the diplomat. "Are you certain you don't need any assistance?"

" _Quite_ certain. As you've probably noticed, the economy is doing well, and my people are rather... _Enamoured_ with me." Melody replied, and even Carlos (who wasn't as good with social cues) could tell she was eager for them to leave.

"Well, if you're sure, we'll finish our breakfast and be on the boat by ten." Evie concluded, smiling gracefully.

As Melody curtsied and left the room, Mal rolled her eyes and shot a glare at the closed parlor door. _What crawled up_ her _ass?_

 _I think it would be best if we sent some spies here, via the Auradon Embassy. We don't want to be caught off guard by a rebellion._ Evie explained, mentally reviewing all her observations of Queen Melody's body language and comments.

 _I bet she's popular enough to pull it off, too_. Jay sighed, sending all his feelings of resignation. _We need to watch out for the well loved rulers who aren't Isle-born._

On the way out, Carlos was stopped by a whispered protest, and looked back to see he was being followed by the twin son and daughter of Ariel and Eric, born several years after Melody, and about his age now.

"Excuse me," the girl began, courtseying politely. _(Erin, his mind supplied, with a voice that sounded like Evie - that one's named Erin_ ) "I was hoping we could speak briefly? Our sister was adamant we stay away during your visit."

"And we have a matter of serious business." Adrian added, speaking for every bit like a little prince. They were about Dizzy's age, he reckoned.

"Oh? And what made you so inspired to disobey your sister?" Carlos smiled, to let them know he wasn't serious. They weren't really in trouble. Unfortunately, Carlos wasn't great with facial expressions sometimes, and he looked somewhat like a grimacing wolf instead.

"Uma is the daughter of Ursula. And she's our grandpapa's sister, right?" Erin asked, seemingly unpurturbed by Carlos' well meaning grimace.

"So the story goes." Carlos replied.

"Well, that makes her our cousin of sorts, yes?" Adrian asked, and started to get to the point. "We'd like to meet her, your highness."

"Yes!" Erin chimed in. "We've met all our undersea family before, but never the exiled ones. And if you were friends with Uma on the Isle, she can't be all bad, right?"

Carlos didn't bother to correct her - no one had friends on the Isle - but Uma was sort of a friend at least. An ally, so to speak.

"I'll see what I can do." DeVil replied, grinning much more nicely this time, as he was genuinely excited for having a juicy new tidbit to share with Mal. With bouncing strides, he caught up with the others.

All in all, everyone was glad when they got on the ship headed for Wonderland, ready to get back to a country that was under an Isle ruler. Two, in fact. Cora and Hart, the twin children of the Queen of Hearts, were the royals in charge of that country. They weren't close friends with Mal's gang, (preferring to hang out with the other Wonderland descendants on the Isle) but they were strong allies, and if war broke out, Wonderland would fight for Mal.

They slept on the boat that night, and arrived on Pelican Beach the next morning, the same place where Alice had run around a fire after washing up from the Sea of Tears. There was no parade this time, because Wonderland was was an odd place, filled to the brim with chaotic magic and strange inhabitants. It had never really fit into the perfect cookie cutter world of Auradon, and was the _only_ kingdom of the alliance to circumvent the magic laws that had banned all sorcery across the lands.

They simply _couldn't_ take the magic out of Wonderland. They could only _contain_ it, and keep it far, far away from their children.

The place was gloriously diverse, with a whole host of magical beings living within, although Alice had made many changes since she'd usurped the two queens of the island. First, both queens and their families were sent to the isle. The Redcrown twins had grown up alongside the Regalis siblings for all their lives, while their mothers fiercely argued about which one rightfully owned the land they hadn't set foot in for over a decade.

(The White Queen insisted she deserved the kingdom, she was oldest of the two sisters and kept the family name, while Red had run off and caused a secession, inventing her own ridiculous surname and title. It was an argument that never ended.)

The scenery that Mal saw from the windows of the royal limousine was fantastic. Singing flowers, talking animals, and all manner of sapient creatures, it seemed that everything in Wonderland was _alive_ , and _(even down to the tiniest bug!)_ wanted to wish you good morning. It was wonderful and unsettling all at once, and Mal could see how someone with a fear of magic could grow to hate this place. Alice had made a lot of improvements in her quest to become well-liked in Auradon, but they were all only relatively effective. Wonderland was, by nature, a land of bizarre chaotic magic, and everything pulsed with it.

One of the few good things Alice had implemented was efficient roads. No more bizarre footpaths through the weeds, or streets that went nowhere. She had created _viable_ _roads_ , which were essential for a traveling queen and her retainers. But even these roads had ended up meandering, twisting and turning, and changing direction in cloverleaf patterns. To get around in Wonderland, you needed a guide who knew the maps. Luckily for the four, they were met at the beach by Hart Redcrown and Lily Regalis, the son and daughter of the Red and White queens respectively. They sat in the royal car now, while their personal driver navigated.

"I'm glad to be out of Oceania and back on solid footing." Mal sighed. It wasn't too much of a breach of secrecy to let other Isle rulers know of the time they'd had. These two in particular, knew much about political strife and the value of a younger generation. Mal didn't worry about going to Maldonia or Agrabah or Germania, because the rulers there had been in Auradon prep for the last five years, and had been thoroughly indoctrinated and taught to understand politics and war. Surely any of the newer generation would know that it was suicide to attack Mal and her regime?

"I know what you mean." Hart interjected. "I grew up with our cousins Lily and Winter, but the Mad Hatter is an unknown variable."

"Right!" Evie chimed in. "Melody was raised under the old regime, and she was an adult before I was. We don't have as much control over her."

It might have been rude to think of potential allies and friends as pawns to be controlled, but that's the way it was. Mal didn't want to rule their lives like a dictator, but she also wanted to keep her family and her people safe, which meant preventing war by any means necessary.

"To counteract your singularly depressing account of Oceania, I have some _great_ news," Lily began, smirking wickedly and forcibly changing the subject. "You realize the date your visit has fallen upon, right?"

"Samhain, the biggest of the magickal holidays, right?" Jay offered. He knew a remarkable lot about the wheel of the year and the eight yearly holidays. His father had used them in a lot of his ritual magic, including the spell he'd once used to find Aladdin.

"Right." Lily grinned even more widely. "We have a special guest this week, who plans to use the spike in magic and the occasion to work a special necromancy ritual."

Mal racked her brain. There was only one descendant she knew who was well versed in necromancy, and she happened to be the same one who'd disappeared on the day of the coup, and whom Mal hadn't seen in a very long time. She smirked. And made her wager.

"Freddie Facilier?"


	44. Chapter 44

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter also contains a pretty vivid and cruel flashback to the Isle, as well as a very brief, non-graphic killing of an animal, so be aware of that. It also contains a trans character and frank discussion of fluid and confusing sexuality. As always, please let me know if I'm being insensitive, as I want everyone to get representation, and I don't trust myself to do it without messing up, as I myself, am a cis person

* * *

Much to Mal's happiness, there was no parade for Wonderland. According to Hart, the residents had a bizarre aversion to parades, and feasts were much more common.

"Sounds perfect," Jay grinned, "I'm starving from the ride."

"As long as the food doesn't make us grow or shrink." Evie added teasingly.

"You taught us the best lesson of all at your wedding, Mal." Cora had noted, with a wry smile. "The best way to your subjects hearts is through their stomachs."

And then, Winter Regalis had added "Yeah, and you never, ever forget your first feast."

For many of the kids on the Isle, Mal and Evie's wedding had been the first time any of them had had enough to eat, for the first time in their _entire lives_. The hunger was always there, it always ate at them, and sometimes it hurt so badly that it woke them up at night, worse than even the nightmare of what their parents would do to them if they didn't turn out to be perfect villains. Mal could remember her first feast as easily as she could recall her last meal before Auradon. Before everything changed.

They had all been living in the crypt then, but slowly gaining power, in the month it took Evie to brew the poison that would kill Jafar. Jay was as good a fighter as Mal, and she was no longer hiding. Now, the walls of their hideout were brightly emblazoned with her sigils, the Long Live Evil tag that denoted _Mal's_ territory.

(And may hell itself have mercy on anyone who tresspassed it)

It had been a barge day, in October, and Mal recalled the crisp, cool air that made her zip up her leather jacket and snap up her collar to protect her cheeks from the cold. They were well known on barge days, the four of them. As they all stood in a crowd, in the cold, and waited for the ships of garbage from Auradon, Carlos went around, weaving his way through the group, tying people's shoelaces together, so that when the frantic crowd rushed for the boats, they'd fall, and Carlos' melodious laugh would be the last thing they heard as their hope died.

Lots of men and women had missed their chances for food that month, and had to barter or steal just to stay alive. But it was us or them, Mal thought back then, and still believed now: that the less competition there was, the more likely that she and Evie and Jay and Carlos would survive the winter. Death was necessary, even the deaths of the few unlucky souls who'd been trampled by the barge crowds over the years.

Death was necessary.

But that year had been life too. That had been the year Dizzy was born, and the year of the first feast of their lives. Jay had somehow managed to snag a full bag of apples, and Carlos had gotten a trash bag full of all kinds of good and useful things, from sugar to potatoes.

(They weren't even _bad_ yet, but apparently Auradon people didn't realize they were still good with the eyes sprouting. Even better, potatoes with eyes meant that you could replant them, if the Isle was anything other than a barren sea-battered _rock_ off the Auradon Coast)

Evie baked them a celebratory pie, and preserved some of the apples by baking them in slices, some lightly sprinkled with cinnamon and clove, and hanging them from the eaves of their crypt. It had smelled so good, when Mal had come home, bearing a loaf of bread she'd stolen, that she almost cried. It smelled like home - like the warm living rooms she saw on the Auradon channel sometimes, cozy and comfortable, and warm. With family and food, and a fire. Carlos had brought a bird of some kind that he and Beelzebub had caught and killed in the dark forest. It was sort of like a duck, and big enough to make a good meal for all of them. Roast duck, toast with cheese, mashed potatoes, and an apple pie for dessert. It was the most delicious thing Mal had ever eaten, and even the meals in Auradon couldn't quite compare to Evie's homemade pie after a lifetime of want.

Back in Wonderland, seated at a table across from the four royals of that nation, Mal glanced at her best friends, and saw that they had remembered the same moment. She saw it played back through their eyes, and practically smelled the cinnamon and apple, even though the meal in front of them drowned out the scents of memory.

"Yeah." Jay laughed, clinking the coins in his pocket, like he always did when he was thoughtful and contemplative. "You never forget it."

And the feast went on. _That's one of my few good memories of the Isle._ Carlos noted mentally, and Evie agreed, showing him her memory of his first kiss with Jay, as if to say 'here; have another'.

 _All our good memories involve each other_. Mal smiled, but she glanced at the others, and they knew it was for them, not for the silly joke passed between Redcrown siblings, or the divine candied yams that seemed to be orange in a way that looked almost toxic. (Wonderland food was _weird_.

"Hey, hold on a sec-" Cora interrupted her brother's story to narrowly glance at the four married couples from the Isle. "Does everyone know about this new thing between you four?"

"What _new thing?_ " Evie asked innocently, and Cora rolled her eyes, putting on a surprisingly catty grin.

"Duh. You think no one else noticed the coy glances and lingering looks, and spaced-out goo-goo eyes you all keep making at each other?"

And then they did it again, to convey their quick question of _what do we tell her? Should we talk about being telepathic, or madly in love with each other?_

"There! That's exactly what I mean!" Cora exclaimed, grinning, and pointing at them like a child. "Goo-goo eyes!"

 _Stick with the love story,_ Evie chimed in sagely _. It's what she already believes._

_Right,_

Mal confirmed _. Let's keep the freaky magic brain trick a secret for now._

Jay broke the silence first, sighing. If they were at the public table, he'd have chided Cora to keep it down, but the royals had a table to themselves, so it didn't matter too much. "Auradon had a hard enough time with two men and two women marrying, much less all four at the same time."

"We're kind of waiting for the right time to announce it." Mal said.

"If at all." Carlos added his own opinion, aiming his next words to the other three, as well as the Wonderland rulers. "It's not like I'm ashamed of any of you, but our subjects don't need to know about our private lives."

"They speak the truth, sis." Hart noted, as his eyes glowed faintly red.

"It's a talent of our bloodline," Cora explained. "The king and queen of hearts can see the links that tie people's hearts and their love."

"Yep. The married couples are linked the strongest," Hart continued, "But you're definitely all tied together too. Carlos is kinda platonic towards Mal, but he still loves her more than as a friend. Jay thinks Mal, Evie and Carlos are equally attractive."

"What can I say?" Jay smirked. "I'm an _equal opportunity_ manwhore."

"Evie finds Jay attractive, but isn't super attracted _to_ him, and she likes Carlos' brain and his long eyelashes. Mal still loves Ben, even though I get the sense she prefers girls, and Evie has ties going off of her that I can't even _begin_ to comprehend." Hart finished, as his eyes faded back to a normal color of brown, rubbing his temples with a mild glare. "It _actually_ kind of makes my head hurt."

"I blame our upbringing." Carlos deadpanned. At the other's weird looks, he shrugged. "We never got any love from our parents, so we don't mind claiming whatever we can as adults. You can never have too much love, right?"

"Right!" Winter exclaimed. "You never can!"

"And let's seriously be honest here." Mal spoke, voice cracking a bit as she approached her most painful realization. "If Ben was still here... We all would have included him too. You know we would have."

Evie swallowed hard, and fought back the emotions she'd felt when she first met Ben. He was the prince she'd always wanted.

Carlos was reminded of all the things Ben had introduced to him, all the great chocolate of Auradon, and how he always made people feel worthy, with his sunny smile that could light up a room.

Jay bit back his comment that he would never fall in love with an Auradon man, when he remembered the pangs he felt when Ben died, and remembered how he'd known each of them well enough to design their crowns, to tell Doug enough about _each of them_ to make it personal.

"If the magic accepted him, I would too." Jay finally said, the most truthful statement he could come up with. It didn't matter anyway, what could have been.

"And now you see why my head hurts." Hart rolled his eyes. "You guys are more complicated than Winter."

"Hey!" The girl in question shouted. They had to explain then, how Winter had been born a boy, but knew from an early age that she was meant to be a girl.

"And when I told Mom, she just looked at me funny, and said 'Well, why not? Lots of things are other things, and you'll never know until you try.' Which is such a _Wonderland_ thing to say, you know?"

"But the point remains." Lily grinned, hugging her sister round the shoulders. "If you really love each other, you can go public. Give people the benefit of the doubt."

"Right." Evie nodded, slowly smiling again through tear-sticky eyelashes. "And if they don't approve, fuck them. We're Kings and Queens, and no one can stop us."

"No one." Mal grinned lopsided, eyes glowing green.

* * *

No one in Auradon celebrated Samhain, but that was alright, because Samhain wasn't a very _Auradon_ holiday. At least not in the way that people nowadays always used _Auradon_ (to mean good and pure, and heroic.)

Freddy Facilier had never actually cast this spell before, because it required a massive amount of ambient magic - that is to say, magic acquired from nature, the celestial bodies, etc. And behind the barrier, magic like that was kept away from them, always just out of their fingers. Magic with the Other Side was different than ambient magic, just like there was fae magic and djinn magic and god magic, and witch magic. So basically, this was her first chance, and if it failed, she'd have to wait a whole year for the chance to come around again.

No pressure.

That was the biggest reason why Freddie invited Mal and her friends to what was meant to be a very private ritual. They were each users of a different type of magic, and Freddie hoped they could use it to balance out the magic so it wouldn't turn... Dark. Which isn't to say that the ritual was a goody-goody light magic to begin with. Raising the dead was always bloody, but particularly with voodoo, the dead had a tendency to come back as shambling corpses ( _zombi, her daddy had called them_ ), or even worse, a _revenent_. Revenants were nothing but embodied rage, a tormented spirit who only remained on the living plane for the sake of bloody revenge. And Freddie wouldn't wish that on an enemy unless they truly deserved it. And these two hadn't deserved a thing.

So she stood here on this cold Samhain night, October 31st, when the veil between the worlds were most thin. Mal, Jay, Evie and Carlos, all stood on a point of the pentagram, with Freddie at the very top. Two human skeletons lay in the center of the circle, with symbols carved carefully into the forehead, hands, feet, pelvic bone, and sternum of the bones. Freddie had explained that it was like hardware in a computer. It would anchor the spirit back to the body, and allow it to move it's own bones again, just as in life. The male and female corpses were dressed in loose white robes, and two slaughtered pigs lay behind them, in separate circles, adjacent to the massive pentagram. Black candles stood at important places all around.

"We gather here, Papa Legba, to ask that you return these innocent souls, taken before their time by the machinations of an evil man and his evil helpers. If you want to keep these souls, so be it, but I beg you to release them until their proper time." Freddie recited, in her sweet southern accent.

As she finished the prayer, the two pigs burst into blue flame, and Mal trembled, clasping hands with Evie, who grabbed Jay's wrist, who grabbed Freddie, who grabbed Carlos, who held Mal's other hand. They stood linked in a circle as the symbols on the skeletons began to glow blue, and a cold wind began to whip around the clearing, disturbing the colorful Wonderland foliage, and blowing out every candle. The pyres of the sacrificial pigs had disappeared, and nothing remained in the circles but a splatter of blood. The bones became enveloped in fire, and stood up, levitating within the circle of five, as flame swirled around them, knitting bone to flesh, and soul to body.

When it all faded away, it was pitch black, and Mal broke away from Evie and Carlos' hands to create a fire in her palms to relight the candles without moving from her spot at the base of the pentagram. Freddie had said it was important to stay there, as it kept the revived spirits from escaping if something went wrong. In the light of the briefly green-flickering candles, Freddie saw the newly living man and woman, just as they'd looked when she'd killed them. They turned to her in silence.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. Sinking to her knees, Freddie Facilier, the shadow woman, the single most terrifying Isle descendant, began to sob, her southern accent more pronounced than ever. "It wasn't my fault. If I didn't go through with it, they would'a dragged my soul straight to hell, jus' like they did to my daddy."

And Naveen hesitated, but Tiana rushed forward to wrap the young woman in a hug. She had never been superstitious, but voodoo wasn't superstition. She knew it was real - she'd seen it first hand. And just like Freddie said, she _knew_ what happened to _anyone_ who denied Papa Legba his due. She'd seen Facilier dragged down to hell the first time she'd defeated the shadow man, and the thought that this little girl (even though she was an adult now) had done all of it for _her_ , the woman her father had raised her to hate... That said it all for Tiana.

"I forgive you, sweetheart." The queen of Maldonia smiled warmly, angelically. "Even if you didn't bring me back, I'd still forgive you."

"But since you did, we can say it in person, no?" Naveen winked. "And I _so love_ being alive!"

The king of Maldonia swept his beloved into a waltz, and they spun around in a circle, dancing to jazz music that only they could hear, and finally, spun to face Mal and her gang, the four who had started it all.

"I... I tried to take good care of your children." Mal explained, trying to keep her chin up in the face of Tiana's clear serenity. "Nichole's the queen now. She wears your crown, and all the jewels stayed in the family."

"Thank you." The frog queen smiled, and took her husband's hand. "Let's go home, Naveen."

The first great sacrifice of the war was being atoned for. Mal smiled, with new hope for the future. And in fact, she got a brilliant idea.

* * *

_Note: Papa Legba is the voodoo loa (saint/deity/spirit) who presides over the other side and the crossroads. Technically I might have used Baron Samedi instead, but Legba seemed better suited for Freddie. I presume he's the loa that Freddie usually works with._


	45. Chapter 45

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: There's a lot of Neverland history to un-pack here, and I hope it goes over well. I know a lot about the Cherokee tribe, and not much about other native peoples. Thus Tiger Lily's tribe is based on that culture. A Beloved Woman is a real Cherokee title. She's loved and respected by all. The bit about the tortoise shell rattlers is true. And also, the story of how Tiger Lily took the embassy is lightly inspired by Tsali, the head of a Cherokee resistance militia who turned himself in, in order to protect his people's safety. This chapter was the hardest to write. I hate it, and it really shows.

Breakfast the next morning was rather eventful. The Cheshire cat and his kittens appeared out of nowhere, and he whispered something to Evie, making her furrow her brows in thought. Also, while Cora and Hart were busy, and Lily and Winter went home to the southern half of Wonderland, the four were still greeted by a special guest.

"Hello Harriet. Or should I call you Madelyn?" Mal grinned at the woman who curtseyed politely. They all knew Ms. Hatter, the beloved of Harriet Hook, and the only Auradon citizen specifically asked to be saved, by an Isle citizen who wasn't Mal. She'd created quite a stir around the time of the coup. Today she was wearing a gloriously ridiculous top-hat, with purple and green stripes, and a stylized silver dragon attached to the hat band. It was actually rather patriotic.

"Either will do, your highness." The girl smiled, and curtseyed before sitting. "Harriet is the only one who calls me Maddie, but Madelyn is fine."

"I'm actually quite surprised you're here." Evie chimed in. "I expected you to be on a ship with Captain Hook." ( _Harriet, of course. The original Captain Hook was long gone, and C.J. and Harry weren't captain material._ )

"Oh no, I actually get _terribly_ sea sick," The hatter explained, gesturing with both hands in the negative. "The pirate's life is _not_ the life for me. But me and Harriet have been in a long distance relationship for most of our lives, so it suits us well."

"If you're happy together, that's what matters." Carlos grinned, finishing off his mocha cappuccino and making another for the road. They left Wonderland after breakfast after all, sailing south to Neverland.

"Indeed! Anyway, I wanted to stop by and talk about something real quick before you all left." Madelyn explained. "You may know I'm a hatter, as it's kind of my family's _thing_."

Mal nodded in the affirmative.

"Well, I'm also a writer, for fun. And rather good at it, I might say. So I was wondering..." Harriet began, grinning widely. "Can I have the exclusive rights to publish your biography, Mal?"

"What do I need a biography for?" Mal asked, and her mind was saying: _I don't want the world to know all my deep dark secrets_! Her magic flashed images in turn; her first kill, bringing leering old men into alleyways to rob them, her knees soaked in her mother's blood, and Father Frollo's head on a pike.

"To show everyone what you've been through, and why you're trustworthy and honorable!" Harriet exclaimed, using her hands to gesture as she explained it.

"Madelyn, I'm _not_ honorable." Mal choked out. "I _fought_ and _killed_ to get where I am. No one in Auradon wants to hear about that."

"You'd be surprised." The girl replied. "Let's make a deal, shall we?" Hatter grinned.

"Possibly. What would such a deal entail?" Mal replied right back, not getting her hopes up.

"If enough people want to hear your story, will you let me write it?" Harriet asked with precious wide eyes, the kind of glance that was usually worn by children and accompanied with _please please please!_

"Yeah." Mal finally answered. "Yeah, if you can get a thousand or so people who wanna hear it, blood and guts and all, then you can write it. I won't sugar-coat _anything_ I did, so they'll take what they get."

"Excellent!" Maddie grinned. "You won't regret this, Mal!"

And Mal certainly _hoped_ she wouldn't. In all the commotion, she forgot to ask Evie what the Cheshire Cat had whispered in her ear.

* * *

They left for Neverland at ten, and Jane didn't answer the video call until five rings had sounded, and when she finally answered, her eyes were unfocused, and she spoke in the whimsical tone she always used when she was spacing out.

"Oh. Hello." She chimed, waving at the four while her eyes saw things no one else could see.

"What's going on, Jane?" Evie asked, leaning forward to examine her more closely, as if she could reach through the screen to see what was wrong.

"I'm having another magical surge. A vision." Jane murmured, frowning lightly as she concentrated, furrowing her brows. "Just like when I first opened the book of records. I see all things as they should be. And I see... Our own future."

The four exchanged glances. This came with the territory of being the Secret Keeper. She saw all iterations of them in all times, and all worlds, and superimposed together. But up until now, the only future hidden to her was their own. For her to see _that_ would be... Revolutionary.

"What do you see?" Mal asked eagerly, leaning in as the others crowded in behind her.

"I can't tell you." Jane laughed, but she cried at the same time, clear tears running down her cheeks as she smiled. "But I can tell you're happy. The future is so, so happy."

"Well." Carlos cleared his throat. "That's... Good to know?"

"Sorry," Jane replied, rubbing her temples. "This is _really_ kind of a bad time."

"It's fine." Evie explained, smiling gently. "We'll just call back later."

"Mhmm." Jane hummed in reply, and paused as a drink was placed in her hand. "Oh, thank you, Diaval, darling."

And then the video feed cut out, and Jay turned to Carlos, whispering ' _Darling_?' and Mal just shrugged and shook her head. She kind of hated that she was missing out on her friend's lives (when had Jane and Diaval gotten together?) but this world tour was her idea, and she wanted to stick to it, all the way to the end.

* * *

Neverland wasn't like Wonderland, since Peter Pan was an efficient ruler once he grew up, and while Alice was an outcast in the Council, Wendy Darling was just like her namesake, Auradon's darling, and Neverland had been long billed as the perfect vacation home for the rich and famous. There were roads, and districts, and while Neverland gave off the worn-down feel of an untamed jungle, it was still a jungle occupied by _normal_ people, Auradon people, _(and not a word was said about the shadows in the nighttime, about Tiger Lily and her people's stolen homes and forgotten heritage)_.

To the North was Pixie Hollow, where a person could experience all four seasons at once, if they stayed within the roads and didn't step on any pixie preserves, where the natural habitat of fairies were maintained _(When the empire fell, Tiger Lily crushed the old barriers and let the pixies fly again)_. Previously, the only "good" pixie was considered to be Tinkerbell, who lived with Peter Pan and Wendy in the palace, and never said a word, although she could have communicated if she wanted to. But she never spoke about how _she'd_ loved Peter first, and how he never saw her as more than a friend at best, and worst, a _pet_. When Wendy wanted to see more pixies ("Some with a nicer attitude," she'd said), Peter asked, and Tinkerbell obliged. When Wendy wanted to fly with pixie dust, Peter asked, and Tinkerbell answered. She did _everything_ for him, because she loved him.

When everything ended, on the day that the Auradonian Dream went down in flames, Tiger Lily ( _a brave and experienced warrior at forty five, no longer the young girl who loved a boy who never grew up_ ) stormed the Neverland Embassy building, and Tinkerbell stood with her, finally breaking free of her debt to the human who'd kept her in his palm all her life, and making up her mistakes to her people, to the pixies she'd sold out because Peter _wanted_ her to.

When Mal heard of it, she was enchanted, even more so because none of the Hook siblings wanted Neverland, and she'd needed someone to rule it (which was better than leaving it wild and barren, as she'd planned.) So the crown observed for several months, and finally put forth support for Tiger Lily's regime. They offered monetary backing, military backing, and anything else that might be needed. All the Beloved Woman wanted was a place on the council, and full integration into Auradon.

Mal agreed wholeheartedly.

As for Tiger Lily, she'd seen something of herself in Mal: a young ruler who was willing to kill for what her people needed. It was the same situation she had been pushed into as a teenager, leading her tribe as nothing more than a child who'd seen too much. She had invited the four personally, ready to show off the changes she'd made since taking control. Instead of having them go through a parade, the four were meant to be the guests of honor at a grand festival - a show of power. The people of Tiger Lily had _not_ been destroyed.

They sat on a podium, with Tiger Lily above them, and explaining every event as it came forward.

"Hear that?" She asked, grinning, as a shaking sound picked up. "Those are tortoise shell rattles under the women's skirts. They're made by tribal craftsmen, but once they're done, men aren't meant to see them again. They're attached to the ankles, so they rattle with the dance."

During the course of the festivities, Tiger Lily also explained to Mal why she was just so welcoming.

"I thought I was going to die. I thought I knew how it worked." The woman explained. "Once I took over the embassy and freed my tribe members who were imprisoned there, I thought reinforcements would come to beat us back down again. I didn't expect to get out alive. I'd been leading the resistance for years then, and Governor Michael stated that if I gave myself up and the rest of us stayed in the deep forest, my people would be left alone."

Michael of course, being Wendy's brother. He'd been assigned to manage the island while Peter and Wendy lived the high life in Auradon.

"Once I realized no help was coming for the invaders, I killed the Governor, and we fortified ourselves." Tiger Lily finished, and Mal nodded solemnly. "I had planned to turn myself in for the safety of my people once my warriors were free, but instead, I got revenge."

"I know the rest of the story from there." The Queen noted. Contact was made. The story of what had happened was made public, and Neverland was welcomed again into the Auradon Empire.

"Revolution Day was _our_ revolution too." The woman smiled fiercely, and it animated all her wrinkles and battle scars, making her look like the people Mal had always seen on the Isle, hardened and bitter. But unlike them, Tiger Lily radiated mhope, beaming proudly into the new morning from her radiant smile.

* * *

That night, Mal couldn't sleep. She paced on the balcony to avoid waking the others, and she was so out of it, she didn't even hear Evie's tiptoed footsteps until she was already there, wrapped in a comforter, and bearing hot chocolate.

"What's wrong?" She asked kindly, wrapping the blanket around Mal, and listening for when she was ready to speak. Mal felt silly. She felt like it was petty, and so... So _weak_ of her.

"Tomorrow we visit Corona." Mal began.

"And? Rapunzel is our biggest Auradon ally besides Queen Elsa." Evie replied.

"And guess which Island we'll pass within a hundred miles of. It's closer to Auradon, but it's close to the Corona border too, you know." Mal explained, and Evie knew what she meant. The Isle. Their own personal hell. The place that they had clawed tooth and nail to get out of. The island that almost killed the last bit of goodness they'd ever had.

"Do you want... To go visit?" Evie asked, dreading the answer. She wanted to visit and see it burned to the ground. She never wanted to see it _ever_ again. She wanted to keep it whole, a monument to what they'd suffered. She wanted it to be swallowed by the sea.

_"No."_ Mal insisted. Her voice dark and cold. She'd toyed with the idea of giving Tir Na Nog back to the fae, but it wasn't their home any more. The fae controlled Moorland now, and not a one of them wanted to step foot back onto that Morgan forsaken Isle.

"Okay." Evie answered simply. She didn't try to hug Mal, only rested her head on the other young woman's shoulder.

"I miss when things were simpler." Mal sighed, crying silent tears into her drink. "I miss fighting every day. I miss my mother."

Of course, no one wanted to go back to the Isle. They fucking _hated_ it. But you can't live in a place for your entire life without having some feeling towards the place. And Mal wasn't sure what to feel. Should she make it better, for some higher purpose? Or demolish it altogether. She hated the indecision and the pain that was brought on when she thought about it.

"You know what?" Mal said, calmly, patiently. "Let's go home."

"I'm sure Rapunzel will understand." Evie began. "But what about Jay? We were planning to use the Agrabah trip to find his family."

"We'll still do that on schedule, but we can fly from Auradon to Agrabah easily. We don't need to visit Corona or Moorland or Camelot Heights or Germania. Let's go home." Mal insisted, finally smiling from behind her cocoa, eager to get back to their dreams.


	46. Chapter 46

They were in Auradon proper by morning. When awoken, Jay and Carlos were more than happy to agree to the plan, since they'd gotten weary of travelling just as much as Mal and Evie had. Besides, they had work to do. Mal had her own secret reasons for wanting to end the trip early, and it largely had to do with some of the things she'd learned on the journey. Mal didn't know it, but Evie had the very same idea, hatching her own scheme in the secret part of her mind, hidden from the others. Jay was _dying_ to start training assassin spies to infiltrate Oceania, and Carlos? Carlos just missed his cat.

Rapunzel understood of course, and as soon as she realized she wasn't urgently needed in Corona, she took a much needed to vacation to visit her stepsister and set up Anne-Marie Tremaine and Ruby Fitzherbert for a playdate.

The weeks passed quickly, much like they had in the beginning of their reign. Jay prepared an elite force to find out what was going on with Melody. Madelyn Hatter drummed up support for Mal's biography, and began the writing process. Evie made a custom dress for Princess Anna, breathing new life into an old design. Carlos spent quality time in his lab with Beelzebub, who was getting gray in the muzzle a bit, but still a _very_ good cat.

November saw Evie visiting her mother nearly every day, and gathering magical supplies for reasons Mal couldn't comprehend. That was fine, since Mal was spending time with Jane and Diaval, and gathering magical supplies for a ritual Evie had no idea about. They were beginning to get rather elaborate with their surprises, but Mal expected Evie to be done by Christmas. While Mal herself needed... _Months_ to plan what she was up to. It was in November that Jane dropped the bombshell that she hadn't had another vision since the video call. Since she'd been having magical revelations since the moment she touched the book of secrets, it was quite a surprise.

"So like... Are you not the secret keeper any longer?" Mal had asked, and Jane shook her head, lips pursed in thought.

"Um, yes and no. I was supposed to keep the chronical of your reign. That's my job."

"And?" Mal pressed.

"And well, it's done now. I know how it all ends." Jane explained carefully. All her caution didn't stop Mal from freaking out.

"So soon!? Does that mean - are we going to be overthrown? Killed?" _Or worse?_ Mal thought, swallowing hard.

"No no, it isn't like that, silly. Your story is over. All the main trials are done. All that's left is the happily ever after."

When Christmas came, they called it Yule, like they did every year. It was the witch version of the holiday, and so... Un-Auradon. They exchanged presesnts, and that was when Evie sprung her surprise.

"I'm pregnant." She whispered to Mal, smiling smugly, with a wicked smirk.

"I - you - what!?" Mal sputtered out, thinking _I'm a parent, Evie's pregnant_ , _I'm a parent, Evie's pregnant,_ on a loop in her mind until Evie broke in to stop it.

 _The baby is made with our combined blood. It's yours, and mine. Together. My mother taught me how, and Daria's spell brought the whole thing together._ Evie explained, showing them the long hours with her mother, spent slaving over spell matrices and probability.

They were all so happy for Evie, and even though the baby was born of Mal and Evie's love, Carlos and Jay offered to raise it as fathers. The new baby would have four doting parents, who'd shower him or her with all their love.

Christmas passed, and Evie had remarked that the Yuletide season was the perfect time for birth and life spells. She'd timed it ideally. Jay and Carlos left for Agrabah to track down Jafar's first wife and his long-lost relatives. Carlos went along because he couldn't stand being alone, and brought Beelzebub with him this time.

She didn't come back from the trip, and neither did Jay's family.

"It's like all trace of them disappeared." He bitterly explained to the others, kicking a punching bag to take out his anger as he trained. "I swear. If they're dead because fucking _Aladdin_ left them _nothing_..."

Jay had explained the situation over a video call, but he and Carlos didn't want to give up hope.

"Just one more month." Carlos said, wearily. "One more month in Agrabah, and we'll come home."

February came and went, and Jane wanted to wait until the boys came back to have her wedding. She and Diaval were so cute together, and while Mal was somewhat disturbed at the thought that Diaval was _Aurora's_ age, she had to remind herself that he was also a _bird_ , and a _fae_ , and human rules didn't really apply to him. And Jane wasn't some naïve teenager any more. She was in her twenties, like the rest of them, and she knew what she was doing. So Mal was happy for them.

Uma emerged from the seven seas with Harry, Gil, and a baby in tow. Little Levi was only a year old, and his name was short for Leviathan. Mal passed along the message that Uma's cousins, Adrian and Erin wanted to make her acquaintance. They weren't certain which was the father, but the baby boy had _gills_ and could live out of water, like Uma.

The boys came home at the end of March. In the end, they'd only found a withered grandmother, who told Jay the story of how her family had changed their name and left the region once they realized what the family patriarch had done. It was almost certainly the Jafarson clan, and apparently, even the knowledge that Jay was now a king wouldn't persuade them to take back their family name.

"My daughter Karima, she spits on the name! On her dead husband's grave!" The grandmother had hissed bitterly, blind eyes not seeing or recognizing Jay. "But not me! Now Jafar? He was a bad man. But he always provided for his family!"

Jay could beg to differ, still bearing the scars of his father's mistreatment. He let the old woman talk though, and found his heart warming to her.

"But his son by the second wife, Munira. He's a good boy." The woman smiled, and her wrinkles shone in the old light as the sun settled. "Jahid is a good man. Big king in the capital now, and good. I hear he follows the old ways, the Islamic law."

"Not yet." Jay said, choking back tears. "But he's learning. He's learning."

They went home then. No point in more searching. Jay made arrangements for the old woman to be cared for. Carlos scattered Beelzebub's ashes over the Isle. He was the only one of them that went back. Afterwards, he told Mal that he didn't hate it anymore.

"I can't hate it." He smiled softly. "I can't hate the Isle, because it gave me you."

And he sent the images he held always in his memory, of all four of them growing up together, from the moment Evie kissed his cheek and said she was his sister, and that they were _family_.

"We grew up together. I'm looking forward to growing old together." Mal smiled.

In April, Jane and Diaval were married, and Evie herself officiated the union, showing her pregnancy off in a beautiful white dress. Lonnie was Jane's maid of honor and Mal was Diaval's best man. Aside from Jane, there was no one he was close to in this life, save his former mistress' daughter. Jane wore her most beloved powder blue, but it was woven with gold and shimmered with magic. Evie made it herself, of course.

Two more weddings were announced at Jane's. Lonnie and Shan Mei were ready to tie the knot, and to Carlos' surprise, Laura Radcliffe approached him for permission to marry Diego. Ever since they'd met over coffee with Juan underfoot, they'd become close friends. Both the weddings were to take place on the week of Revolution Day, still the most popular time for weddings, every since Jay and Carlos set the precedent.

When Evie teased, asking "Should we also announce our status on Revolution Day? Let's all get married. The four of us."

Mal vehemently refused. "Not this year. Next year for sure." She quickly replied, leaving Evie dumbfounded.

In May, Evie announced she had twins, and that was why she looked like a blimp. She could have cried with relief. They didn't brainstorm baby names, because Mal and Evie knew their names as soon as she heard there was a boy and a girl.

"Ben." Evie smiled, patting her stomach. "For the prince charming I never got to really love."

"Eve." Mal returned. "It's like Evie, the prettiest name in the world, but different. She's the start of a new age."

"Thank evil." Carlos rolled his eyes. "If you had named the boy Adam, I'd have barfed."

June brought a nursery, and all the accessories. Mal painted protective runes on the walls, just as she had done in their old room in Jay's shop. They were cleverly hidden in animals at play, and walls the color of royal blue and violet.

July brought _chaos_. There were three weddings in a week, because Dizzy decided at the last minute to marry Claudine before she went back to Normandy for the school year. Revolution Day was the day of the blood tournament, and Jay came out victorious, taking down Aziz, who'd finally come out of the woodwork to make peace, after observing Jay from the shadows during his visit to Agrabah. They finished the battle as friends, and just as they shook hands, on a battlefield splattered with blood, Evie went into labor.

10 hours, thirteen minutes, and twenty seconds later (Carlos knew. He was counting.) Evie gave birth to two perfect, healthy baby twins. Ben and Eve were astutely named, because Eve was the baby Mal had always imagined, with her green dragonfire eyes, and Evie's blue hair. Ben was... Blond.

"I'm Maleficent's daughter, but King Stefan was my father." Mal explained, trying to reason it out. "Ben is blond because I have a blond gene somewhere?"

"Aurora was blond." Evie noted.

"Exactly. Aurora was blond." Mal explained firmly, as if repeating it made it make sense.

August was Carlos and Mal's birthday, and they had a joint party. Evie's was celebrated in September, and Jay's birthday celebration had been the July battle in the arena. They exchanged token gifts, but Mal was saving her big surprise for October. It came around again, finally, and Mal whispered to her lovers to follow her out into the gardens. She'd gone out onto the back patio, and drawn a magic circle. There was a screen around it, and a Notice-Me-Not ward to keep away the servants. There was a slaughtered pig in an adjacent circle, and a bone figure in the center, clothed in nothing but a clean white robe.

"Is that -" Evie whispered, voice catching, and Mal nodded briskly.

_Ben. Ben. Ben. Ben._

It echoed back around their heads like a chant.  
 _  
It isn't safe_. Carlos said, mentally.

 _We've all seen the queen and king of Maldonia._ Mal retorted. _I waited a year, and watched them.  
_  
 _It wasn't their time._ Carlos pointed out, and Mal showed him the memory from her eyes as Ben jumped in front of a crossbow bolt for her.

 _It wasn't his either_.

 _We need to be careful_... Jay cautioned. _But_ _  
_ _we can do it. I know we can._

Jane arrived right then, the fifth member of the circle, as Mal had intended, and the ceremony began.

She chanted the words.

They joined hands.

A wild wind spun over the circle, and their thoughts bounced around in the ambient magic like a living thing.

_We're doing it! He's coming. This is just according to plan. We can do this._

When it was all over, a lone figure stood in the center of the circle. He turned to the top of the pentagram, whispering.

"Mal?" The boy whispered (for he was a boy, just eighteen, the same age he was when he died.)

Mal smiled. Twenty-two and her same wicked grin hadn't changed a bit.

"Welcome home, Ben."


	47. Epilogue

The roses were blooming again in the palace garden, and children were at play. The oldest were a boy and girl of ten, and the first had hair that shone like spun gold, and the second had hair that was the color of a rich sapphire. This was Ben and Eve. The firstborn of a new age.

The second oldest was a very clever girl, with dark curls and freckles, who wore glasses. She curled runes around her fingertips and caused things to be, just by wishing them. She was the child of a Nordic god, and a Germanic witch, so the old magicks came easily to her. Her name was Freya, named after the first witch, daughter of Odin, keeper of magic. Also, like her namesake, and like her father, she very much loved cats.

_(Beelzebub's descendants were well known, and heavily populated the halls of the palace. Astaroth, the beloved cat of Evie and Mal, still lay in pools of sunlight, lazily watching her offspring play.)_

The youngest was only younger by three months, practically the same age as her clever sister. She had hair that glowed purple, and sparked with magic. She had glorious, dark feathered wings, and two horns growing from the top of her head. She was part djinn like her father, and part fae, like her mother, with their combined magic running down her forearms in shimmering gold, like a magic tattoo. This was Morrigan. Named after one of her mother's ancestors, and dusky-skinned like her father. Even though she was the youngest, she was their leader.

_(Ben never did have any children. Mal always said it was because he'd died. He used up all his extra life, and couldn't make anymore. And Ben would laugh, and say, "I have four children, one of whom looks just like me! Why do I need anything else?" He referred, of course, to his namesake, who had oddly turned out blond.)_

They played in the gardens, and in a playground that had been specially made for them on the palace lawn. Morrigan's favorite was a castle grown from a hollow tree. Her mother had made it with magic, and told her that it was a secret place, a special place. It was the kind of castle that fae used to live in, long long ago.

_(Behind walls of briar and towers of thorn, carpet of deer moss and rose-hips adorned.)  
_  
She loved more than anything, to invite her brother and sisters into the castle, and tell them stories. Morrigan loved to tell stories, and her parents would always smile at them. They made her Baba call her 'little Shaharazad" after the woman who told all the stories in Arabian Nights. Even when she grew up, and read all the books in her library (just like her Papa once had, and his mama had, before him), after Mama and Mother taught her magic alongside Eve and Freya, and her Father taught her about animals and mechanics, she still loved stories the most. Her favorites began with once upon a time, and ended with happily ever after.

One day, she asked her Mama to tell her a new story. Mama had beautiful blue hair like Eve, and she was the _best_ at storytelling.

"This is an old story, and a new one." Mama began.

"How can it be old _and_ new?" Morrigan asked, tilting her head in question.

"The magic is old. The love within it is old," Mama explained, with a wink. "But the story itself isn't much older than you. This is a fairy-tale, to be sure. But it began not more than forty years ago, when all the countries of the world got together, and made a pact."

"What was it?" The girl asked, before cuddling down into her blankets.

"They promised each other to capture the villains of their fairy tales, and put them away on an island, where they could never hurt anyone, ever again." Mama continued her story.

"Sounds like a good idea." Morrigan nodded sleepily.

"It did sound like a good idea on paper." Mana agreed. "But once they got all the villains into one place, they turned away, and didn't realize what was happening. With no law and order, villains started hurting _each other_. The bright king and queen who'd started it all, never noticed until they started to see children. There were children on the Isle with villain parents!"

"Did the villains love their children?" Morrigan asked, and Mama paused for a long time.

"Some of them did." She explained quietly. "Some of them loved their children, but still treated them cruelly, for many different reasons."

"Is this a sad story?" Morrigan interrupted.

"Parts of it are." Mama nodded, smiling. "But most of it is good. You see, there were four friends on the Island. A girl with purple hair, who was a faerie with no wings. A princess with blue hair, who was a witch without magic. A genie with dark skin, stronger than desert rock, but without a lamp. And a demi-god who didn't know his power, and had hair as white as snow."

Her eyes lit up with recognition. "That was you!" She exclaimed. "It was Mother, and Mama, and Baba, and Father!"

"Yes." Said Mama. "Yes, it was."

"But where was Papa?"

Mama smiled at that, and quirked her eyebrows, like she did when she saw something funny.

"Your Papa wasn't born on the Isle." She grinned. "He was born to a great king and queen. They were the very same rulers that put the villains on an island."

"So you were... Enemies?" Morrigan asked, eyes wide.

"Indeed we were." Evie smirked. "Isn't that a wonderful way to begin a story? It begins with turmoil, danger, and misunderstanding. It ends with -"

"Happily ever after." Morrigan chimed in, smiling.

"Happily ever after, indeed." Evie nodded, serenely.

And truly, there was no ending happier.

**• The End •**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many thanks to those who supported this tale from the very beginning, and the new followers I've gotten on AO3! Stay tuned, because I've got an even bigger Descendants story in the works, filled to the brim with romance, action, and the magical realism you've come to expect from me. Thanks for reading, and until next time,
> 
> Phoebe


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